CSV (Closed System Vaporizer) liquefied e-cigarette market has opened on full-scale. While herbal e-cigarettes such as ‘IQOS’, ‘lil’, and ‘glo’ have successfully established themselves within markets, South Korea’s cigarette industry is going through another change yet again. Even though new types of e-cigarettes cause many controversies whenever they are released, more smokers in South Korea are preferring e-cigarettes over regular cigarettes. This is not a temporary phenomenon, but it is a phenomenon caused by awareness, trend, and culture resulting from development of technology.
Competitions to grab an upper hand in CSV e-cigarette market are getting intense. KT&G, which is the top business in South Korea’s cigarette industry, released ‘lil vapor’ to compete with ‘JUUL’, which is an American cigarette business that is also called ‘Apple of e-cigarette industry’, as it prepares to enter South Korean market.
First punch was thrown by JUUL. JUUL Labs Korea held a press conference on the 22nd and officially started selling its products at GS25 and 7-Eleven. It also started selling products at Lotte Duty Free Shop and Shilla Duty Free Shop and it is diversifying its sale channels by also entering e-cigarette multi-shop rather than a distribution channel. JUUL’s products are being sold out in South Korea as soon as it started selling its products due to high interest from smokers in South Korea even before it released products in South Korean market.
JUUL’s Device and Pod were developed for smokers who were trying to find alternatives to regular cigarettes. They provide level of satisfaction close to regular cigarettes as they are applied with JUUL’s own temperature control system and they can be used easily due to absence of separate button or switch. Their another strength is their neatness as they do not create cigarette smoke or ash.
JUUL’s Device is composed as a kit along with charging dock and it is currently sold for $32.81 (39,000 KRW). Its Pod that is currently available in South Korean market has five different kinds (fresh, classic, delight, tropical, and crisp) with less than 10mg/ml of nicotine. Price of refill that is comprised of four pods is $15.15 (18,000 KRW) and price of refill comprised of four pods is $7.57 (9,000 KRW). One can purchase a charging dock separately for $4.96 (5,900 KRW).
“We are going to be ‘Make the Switch’ that presents better alternatives to regular cigarettes.” said President Lee Seung-jae of JUUL Labs Korea at a press conference. “We are going to be a company with ethics and responsibility.”
KT&G is getting ready to compete with JUUL after it released ‘lil vaper’ on the 27th. KT&G released ‘lil vaper’ and its cartridge ‘SiiD’ and disposable e-cigarette ‘SiiD All-IN-ONE’ at the same time. Although it was trying to grab an upper hand by releasing them earlier than ‘JUUL’, it had to release them later due to a setback. However, it minimized any distance it might have with JUUL.
KT&G entered CU and it started selling its products in Seoul, Busan, and Daegu unlike JUUL that is only selling its products in Seoul to grab initial demands.
Although lil vaper looks like a USB just like JUUL, it has a slide at the top. Vaping starts once a person lowers ‘Smart Slide’. This is the biggest difference with JUUL that does not have any separate control.
lil vaper is applied with ‘puff signal’ method that notifies a person through vibration whenever he or she vapes equivalent to one cigarette and it lets a person know how much he or she has used up a liquid cartridge. One can also select repetitive use function by raising and lowering Smart Slide to vape continuously.
Smart Slide can be stored sanitarily until one cartridge is used unlike ‘JUUL’ that has its cartridge outside. Mouth cover, which is provided along with lil vaper, can further keep an area that touches one’s lip more sanitarily whenever lil vaper is not used.
Suggested retail price of ‘lil vaper’ is $33.66 (40,000 KRW). Although it is $0.84 (1,000 KRW) more expensive than ‘JUUL’, it minimizes any financial burden as it also comes with portable pouch that comes with charging and sterilization functions.
Liquid nicotine cartridge pod was released as ‘SiiD’ brand. Each pod is equivalent to a pack of cigarettes. KT&G are selling SiiD Tobac, SiiD Ice, and SiiD Tundra. Each pod is $3.79 (4,500 KRW) which is same as that of JUUL’s pod and it is equivalent to one pack of cigarettes.
KT&G also released ‘SiiD All-IN-ONE’ as well. It is integrated with a liquid cartridge and it is equivalent to one pack of cigarettes. Although it is easy carry to carry this product as it does not require extra charge, it does not have notification and slide functions. It costs $5.89 (7,000 KRW).
“Our products have improved any inconvenience of our users may had had from liquid e-cigarettes.” said Lim Wang-seop who is the leader of KT&G’s NGP Business Group. “Through our own technologies, we are going to lead liquid e-cigarette market as well.”
Staff Reporter Lee, Joohyun | jhjh13@etnews.com