App Talk by Remerge in Seoul 2025: Where Trends Meet Tomorrow

Remerge returned to Seoul in 2025 with the latest edition of its App Talk series, a strategic event designed to bring together leading voices in app marketing to explore emerging trends and share actionable insights.

Held on September 18 under a crisp autumn sky, App Talk by Remerge in Seoul 2025 welcomed speakers from top global and local companies including AppsFlyer, Olive Young, Aleph, CJ OliveNetworks, CJ CheilJedang, SK Incross, and MADUP. Each speaker offered a unique perspective on the evolving landscape of mobile marketing.

The event featured seven sessions covering the present and future of app marketing, with topics ranging from privacy-first strategies to AI-driven brand innovation. Key takeaways was:

• Remerge’s vision for app marketing in a privacy-first world
• AppsFlyer’s global data analysis on e-commerce app marketing
• Olive Young’s private brand strategy and global expansion
• Pinterest’s role as a visual discovery engine for mobile commerce
• The evolution of eWOM (Electronic Word of Mouth) and the rise of the X platform
• CJ CheilJedang’s smart use of AI in brand and consumer engagement
• A roundtable discussion with top media planners from leading agencies

Each session was built around hands-on strategies and case studies, offering practical insights that brands could apply immediately.

Pan Katsukis, CEO and Co-founder of Remerge, opened the event with a video message. By leveraging an AI dubbing tool, this introductory message captured the tonal nuances of Korean speech, demonstrating both technical innovation and a refined approach to cross-cultural communication.

In the first session of App Talk by Remerge in Seoul 2025, Remerge offered a comprehensive analysis of how shifts in the privacy landscape are impacting app marketing strategies, examining the issue from both macro and micro perspectives.

On a macro level, antitrust regulations are increasingly impacting major tech companies. In addition, the rollout of Privacy Sandbox has been put on hold. On a micro level, iOS’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) opt-in rate has remained steady at around 50–60%, prompting greater adoption of probabilistic modeling and advanced targeting technologies to address the limitations of IDFA-based targeting.

As a DSP specializing in app retargeting, Remerge has responded swiftly to these shifts, emphasizing the proactive integration of new technologies, especially within the iOS ecosystem. While Android’s AAID is expected to remain in place for the time being, the broader trend calls for a balance between user data protection and technological innovation.

“ATT opt-in rates are expected to decline over time, and probabilistic targeting that leverages signals beyond IDFA is gaining traction. Rather than worrying excessively about stricter privacy regulations, embracing new technologies can actually be an opportunity to refine and elevate your marketing strategy.”
— Hide Cho, Senior Regional Director for Korea & Japan at Remerge

In the following session, AppsFlyer applied its extensive cross-industry experience to present an analysis of global marketing data for e-commerce apps, highlighting three key trends:

1. Platform-Based Purchase Behavior: In most countries, Android users take an average of 1.5 to 2.5 days longer than iOS users to make their first purchase after installing an app. In Korea, where Android has a high market share, Android users tend to make their first purchase more quickly, while iOS users show faster repeat purchase behavior. Notably, the proportion of iOS users in Korea who make more than two in-app purchases is 60% higher than the global average. For Android, Japan leads with an 80% higher rate than the global average, followed by Korea and Saudi Arabia.
2. Web-to-App Strategy: As the year-end shopping season approaches, brands are ramping up web-to-app strategies to drive early app installs and capture demand ahead of the peak.
3. Utilizing ‘Audience’: Audience targeting has become a decisive factor in app success. It is evolving through multi-channel orchestration, privacy-centric approaches, and AI powered predictive modeling. According to AppsFlyer’s data, 60% of Korea’s top 11 e-commerce clients actively use Audience features, and that percentage climbs even higher among the top three.

“Since November and December are naturally peak seasons for e-commerce apps, it’s crucial to lay the groundwork early, encouraging users to install apps in advance as part of a proactive strategy. In addition, it’s essential for e-commerce apps to strategically leverage ‘Audience’ targeting features. Especially with the help of AI, businesses can swiftly identify actual purchasing users across various channels, which can be a significant advantage.” said Charlie Moon, Country Manager of AppsFlyer Korea.

Olive Young leads Korea’s beauty market with 12 private brands (PBs). As its international customer base continues to grow, global targeting has become a key priority. To meet this demand, Olive Young has adopted Remerge’s solution, enabling tailored strategies for each brand and enhancing both PB-level campaigns and performance marketing.

Building on this strategic foundation, Olive Young selects specific brands to grow each quarter and integrates them into performance driven marketing efforts for more precise campaigns. On platforms like Twitter, where customers actively seek product information, Olive Young uses ‘challenge’ content to naturally attract high-intent shoppers. Ultimately, the brand aims for human centered marketing, grounded in a deep understanding of customer behavior and needs.

“Customers often come in with a specific product in mind. So what matters more than rankings is the moment they add it to their cart after searching. The key is to target the exact channels where they explore information, clearly define the audience, and connect through viral content. That’s what truly drives sales.”
— Jae-young Kang, Manager at Olive Young

Pinterest is a discovery platform that visually inspires users based on their tastes, leading to organic purchases. Unlike the traditional linear purchase journey, users form brand preferences while exploring images and content, creating a flow that naturally connects discovery to actual buying decisions. To leverage this unique behavior, Pinterest offers a variety of ad formats including Standard Pins, Standard Video, Max Video, Carousel, and Collections, helping brands deliver their messages in creative and immersive ways.

Pinterest is emerging as a strategic channel for mobile first brands, going beyond traditional social media. Its audience has expanded from teens to users in their 20s and 30s, broadening targeting opportunities. With advanced integrations like mobile deep linking and MMP connectivity, brands can now engage customers through emotional and visual appeal, moving beyond price and features to drive both awareness and sales.

“Pinterest connects with over 6 million Korean consumers at the exact moment they’re seeking visual inspiration. We offer brands a touchpoint before users search online or shop on e-commerce platforms, turning the ‘Pinterest vibe’ into commerce.”
— Seung-jun Kang, Business Head - Pinterest (Korea) at Aleph

WOM (Word of Mouth) marketing has evolved into eWOM (Electronic Word of Mouth), offering scale, accessibility, and rich content. As user opinions shape buying decisions, X stands out with active trendsetters and fast content spread. In a recent survey of APAC users, X ranked highest in information sharing at 18%, proving its strong role in connecting brands and consumers.

On Platform X, where community driven information exchange is active, engagement is key. Rather than simply consuming content, users participate and respond, playing a vital role in brand amplification. Through interactive campaigns, third party ads, and scheduled notifications, brands can guide customer behavior and deliver messages organically. This environment allows for stronger connections with target audiences and enables more sophisticated marketing strategies.

“X is incredibly effective at boosting engagement during the consideration stage of the marketing funnel. Its culture encourages spontaneous interaction and viral spread. The key is helping users create their own stories through retweet events and interactive content.”
— Won-yeop Kim, Business Head - X (Korea) at Aleph

As part of its digital transformation efforts, CJ CheilJedang established the DX Lab in 2023 and has actively integrated technologies such as cloud computing, data analytics, and generative AI into brand operations. This goes beyond simple tech adoption, demonstrating how AI is being used as a practical tool for innovation across workflows and organizational culture.

In line with this strategy, CJ CheilJedang is developing Food 360, a platform that collects real time data from social media and reviews, and applies AI driven topic classification, sentiment analysis, and image captioning to uncover food trends and consumer insights. Designed for immediate use by marketers, the platform enables agile responses to fast changing consumer needs and supports more informed, data backed decision making.

CJ CheilJedang has also built a secure environment for using generative AI models like GPT, Claude, and Gemini through its Snap AI system. But rather than focusing solely on technology, the company emphasizes a human centered approach to AI. Guided by the belief that brand success lies in collaboration between humans and machines, and in listening to the voice of the consumer, CJ CheilJedang is evolving into a smarter, more refined brand powered by thoughtful AI integration.

The final session of App Talk by Remerge in Seoul 2025, the Agency Roundtable, brought together industry professionals for a practical exchange of ideas on the front lines of app marketing. Led by Donghyun Kim, Director of Account Management at Remerge, the discussion featured Eunbi Lee, Team Lead at SK Incross, and Jihee Lee, Team Lead at MADUP. Their discussion provided meaningful insights into the evolving app marketing landscape, backed by practical expertise.

In today’s fast-changing digital landscape, campaign cycles are becoming shorter, while high-value user targeting and AI-driven automation are emerging as core pillars of marketing strategy. Audience-based approaches remain effective, and growing interest in short-form content and contextual advertising is diversifying how brand messages are delivered. As a result, KPIs and media mixes are being adjusted with greater flexibility, and the expansion of commerce campaign channels is prompting deeper consideration of how to measure and optimize performance. Retargeting campaigns are also evolving to become faster and more precise, with strategies increasingly powered by real-time data and predictive modeling.

Looking ahead, data-driven tools like MMM and incrementality testing are set to become core to marketing. As boundaries between marketing disciplines continue to blur, brands must adopt outcome-driven strategies that balance performance with long-term value. This roundtable marked a strategic turning point, encouraging agencies and brands to rethink app marketing’s next chapter.

"AI is such a hot topic that some even call it a revolution, but in reality, many in the field are still grappling with which AI tools to use and how to use them effectively. We're still at a stage where there are more questions than answers. Going forward, planners will need to focus on two key areas: boosting productivity and adding value." –Jihee Lee, Team Lead at MADUP

More than just a forum for information exchange, App Talk by Remerge in Seoul 2025 established itself as a strategic event for shaping the future of app marketing. This year’s discussion provided actionable insights for industry professionals and offered brands the inspiration and direction they need to stay agile in a rapidly changing landscape. By clearly outlining the path forward for brand strategy in the digital age, it has set the stage for even more exciting transformations to come.