Job description: Key Responsibilities 1. Merchandise Planning & Sourcing

• Identify and source merchandise across K-culture categories, including K-pop albums, artist merchandise, beauty, fashion, accessories, lifestyle products, collectibles, and other trend-driven products.
• Research Korean and U.S. consumer trends to identify emerging products, brands, artists, and merchandise opportunities relevant to our customers.
• Develop and maintain a pipeline of potential brands, products, and suppliers that align with Dear U's customer base and business strategy.
• Evaluate product opportunities based on customer demand, market trends, pricing, sales potential, and inventory risk.
• Partner with Korean headquarters, vendors, and brand partners to obtain product information, pricing, availability, and launch schedules.
• Coordinate with Retail, Marketing, Operations, Logistics, Finance, and other internal teams to support product launches, promotions, and artist events.
• Work closely with store and event teams to understand customer feedback and translate insights into future merchandise and purchasing decisions. 2. K-Pop Album & Artist Merchandise Buying
• Maintain a strong understanding of K-pop artists, album catalogs, new releases, artist popularity, fandom trends, and purchasing behavior and other activities that may impact merchandise and album demand.
• Support merchandise planning for artist events, fan experiences, album releases, and other K-pop-related activations.
• Determine appropriate album and merchandise assortments based on the participating artist, event profile, expected customer demand, historical sales, and current market trends.
• Recommend which albums and merchandise to carry, appropriate order quantities, and replenishment needs based on business and demand analysis.
• Proactively identify purchasing opportunities and lead ordering activities to ensure appropriate inventory is available ahead of key events and releases.
• Monitor product and album performance and adjust purchasing and replenishment strategies accordingly. 3. Purchasing & Inventory Management
• Manage the purchase order process from planning through execution, including product selection, quantity planning, order placement, and delivery coordination.
• Work closely with vendors, headquarters, and internal teams to ensure products are ordered and received according to business timelines.
• Monitor inventory levels, sell-through, product performance, and stock availability to identify replenishment needs and minimize overstock or stockouts.
• Analyze historical sales, current trends, upcoming events, and customer demand to make informed purchasing decisions.
• Maintain accurate product, pricing, SKU, vendor, and purchasing information in internal systems.
• Track order status and proactively resolve delays, shortages, or other purchasing issues. 4. Market & Trend Analysis
• Continuously monitor K-pop, K-beauty, Korean fashion, lifestyle, and broader K-culture trends in both Korea and the U.S.
• Stay current on artist activities, album releases, fandom trends, viral products, and emerging consumer interests.
• Conduct competitor and market research to understand product assortments, pricing, promotions, and emerging merchandise trends.
• Translate market insights into actionable recommendations for assortment planning, purchasing, and inventory allocation.
• Identify new merchandise opportunities that can strengthen Dear U's retail and fan experience offerings. Qualifications
• Bachelor degree with Business or any related field
• Professional fluency in both Korean and English is strongly preferred.
• 1-3+ years of experience in merchandising, retail buying, merchandise planning, product sourcing, category management, or a related field.
• Understanding of broader K-culture categories, such as K-pop, K pop artist, beauty, fashion, accessories, lifestyle products, and fandom lifestyle.
• Experience managing purchase orders, vendors, inventory, and product lifecycle processes.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to evaluate sales performance, inventory levels, sell-through, and purchasing needs.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple products, vendors, releases, and deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Advanced in Excel and experience working with inventory management, ERP, or merchandise planning systems. Preferred Qualifications
• Experience in K-pop, entertainment, experiential retail, fashion, beauty, lifestyle, or specialty retail.
• Previous experience purchasing or managing K-pop albums, artist merchandise, collectibles, or licensed merchandise.
• Experience supporting merchandise planning for artist events, pop-ups, product launches, or high-traffic retail events.

Experience:

Kpop Knowledge:

2 years

Merchandising:

2 years (Required)

Language:

Korean Pay:

$70,000.00 - $80,000.00 per year

Work Location:

In person