For Korean brands dreaming of entering the global retail market, the biggest barriers are unfamiliar local regulations and unpredictable construction risks. CBRE efficiently addresses these challenges by providing a one-stop connection from the Retail team’s strategic site selection to T&T (Project Management)’s sophisticated construction oversight. In particular, bridging the gap between the speed Korean brands are known for and strict local permitting systems is the key to global expansion. CBRE Integrated Management aims to assess construction risks in advance from the site-selection stage and organically integrate the entire design and construction process to perfectly realize brand value in physical space. Through an interview with T&T Director Brandon, we hear how the T&T team professionally takes responsibility for brands’ overseas expansion.

Sophisticated Construction Management Involved from the Design Stage

Q. More brands are expanding overseas from Korea. What areas does the T&T team handle?

[From the very beginning till the end]

The role of CBRE’s TNT team goes beyond simply managing construction sites. Once the leasing team secures a suitable site, we are brought in from the design phase and oversee the entire process through project completion. I have helped open numerous stores in major U.S. hubs such as Orange County, Las Vegas, Houston, and New Jersey. Our core strength is not just creating the exterior, but also conducting technical collaboration from the early design stage so that each brand’s unique complex objects or robotic art can operate smoothly within local regulations.

On-Site Responsiveness: From Cargo Accidents to Emergency Repairs One Hour Before Opening

Q. There must be many unexpected variables when carrying out construction overseas. Is there a memorable case?

[The Master of Schedule Management]

In overseas retail sites, unpredictable variables arise frequently. There was a case where major cargo headed to New York was mistakenly delivered to a Virginia naval port; we urgently arranged seven trucks and recovered the shipment within 12 hours to keep the schedule on track. There was also an episode where, to restore damaged products right before opening, 20 workers pulled an overnight shift and successfully opened with just one hour to spare, showing how intense retail PM can be. From the brand’s perspective, even a one-day delay in opening directly translates into lost sales, so completing the set schedule under any circumstances is our top priority.

Strategic Localization That Secures Both Cost Efficiency and Quality

Q. I’ve heard construction costs overseas are quite high. Is there know-how for managing budgets efficiently while maintaining brand quality?

[Smart Localization and Cost Control]

Construction costs and labor expenses in the U.S. and other overseas markets are significantly higher than in Korea. To manage budgets efficiently, the most important thing is to focus on the design stage. That is because the more complete the design is upfront, the better you can prevent budget overruns later. Our top priority is reviewing whether the design is actually buildable locally and whether permits can be obtained.

In this process, “drawing localization” plays a key role. Permits can be approved only when drawings are revised and submitted in accordance with local codes and regulations. In particular, the Olive Young N Seongsu project was a great example of Korea’s fast execution and the TNT team’s management working in sync despite a very tight schedule. At the time, Olive Young partnered with us instead of its previous in-house control method, considering the nature of a large flagship store. As a result, we completed the project within the set budget and timeline and were able to continue the partnership into U.S. expansion projects. In other words, successful collaboration data built in Korea becomes a stable benchmark even for overseas projects with stringent local regulations.

The moment you walk in, you wonder if this is really Olive Young. The scale feels like an entire department store beauty floor relocated, with brand-curated zones and experiential displays. It is not a place you come only to buy, but a place you come to see. Olive Young N Seongsu has set a new flagship standard.

The Skill of Coordination and Communication That Bridges Cultural Gaps

Q. When collaborating with local vendors, are there difficulties due to cultural differences from Korea?

[Bridge of Communication]

I believe how you manage partnerships with local vendors determines the success or failure of completion. Sometimes people accustomed to Korea’s less horizontal directive culture push U.S. vendors too hard, and then awkward situations can occur where the local vendor says, “I won’t do it even if I don’t get paid,” and simply leaves the site. That is because U.S. vendors value horizontal relationships. Between these cultural gaps, we play the role of persuading them in ways they can accept, finding the best alternatives possible within local regulations, and coordinating trust between the brand and the contractor.

The Shortest Path to Fewer Trial and Errors: Retail-TNT One-Stop Solution

Q. Lastly, what advice would you give to brands considering overseas expansion?

[One-Stop Global Solution]

In the field, we see many companies that hastily select sites without thorough preparation and then struggle for years paying only rent due to permitting issues. In a real case, there are Korean brands in New York that have been struggling for two to three years because they could not secure permits. These cases usually happen when companies do not understand the process well and start too early. In historically sensitive areas like Pasadena, restrictions on the building itself are extremely strict, such as not allowing exterior changes at all.

That is why we step in from the initial stage when the Retail team is scouting sites, and carefully check in advance whether a building is actually buildable and whether there are permitting risks. Not only in the U.S., but also when expanding into Europe, such as Spain, you can receive services linked with local teams through CBRE’s global network, making it the most efficient shortcut to reducing trial and error.

The success or failure of global expansion depends not on “how quickly you start,” but on “how precisely you prepare.” The speed unique to Korean brands is a strength, but charging ahead while ignoring local permitting and construction culture becomes a poison that instead eats away at time and cost. When you work with experts connected in a one-stop process from retail strategy to construction completion, a brand’s first overseas step can be taken with maximum solidity.