[Lee Da-hae's SNS]
[Lee Da-hae's SNS]

Actor Lee Da-hae appeared on a Chinese live commerce broadcast and generated about 20 billion won ($14.9 million) in sales in just two hours.

On Sunday, Lee shared photos and video from the live broadcast held in Hangzhou, China, on her SNS, writing that she had been "urgently deployed as reinforcements" for influencer Dandan's Singles' Day commemorative livestream.

The broadcast was a live commerce event hosted by Dandan, a well-known local influencer, to mark Singles' Day — China's biggest annual shopping event.

A photo Lee posted of an on-site scoreboard showed sales of 100 million yuan ($15 million). "This was the scene where we once again set a sales record of 20 billion won in just two hours," she said.

About 500 staff members took part in the broadcast, and five electric vehicles were offered as prizes. "An incredible scale of preparation by Dandan and 500 staff members for a single live broadcast," Lee said. "I was merely in awe of their preparation and passion."

[Lee Da-hae's SNS]
[Lee Da-hae's SNS]

Singles' Day, held around Nov. 11 each year, is China's largest shopping event. It took root as China's answer to Black Friday after Alibaba, the Chinese e-commerce giant, launched a massive discount campaign in 2009.

Major retail platforms and brands roll out discount events during the period, while prominent influencers and celebrities sell products through live broadcasts.

According to Pengmian News, Tmall, Alibaba Group's online shopping platform, held a "Super Beauty Festival" broadcast with top influencer Li Jiaqi on Thursday ahead of Singles' Day presales.

The broadcast featured 600 products spanning beauty, baby care, lifestyle, fashion and food. Viewership surpassed 10 million within the first hour, and sales of popular products including SK-II, Cetaphil and Clarins each exceeded 100,000 units within the first hour of deposit payments.

Industry observers in China say live commerce has established itself as a key platform for overseas brands entering the Chinese market and launching new products. Recent trends show new and limited-edition items increasingly being unveiled through broadcasts by prominent hosts.

As the live commerce market matures, brand strategies are shifting as well. Companies are using live broadcasts not only to drive short-term sales but also to build brand recognition and secure long-term competitiveness. The sales figures posted by top hosts during Singles' Day are seen as a measure of the influence that partnerships between hosts and brands carry in China's consumer market.


bbo@heraldcorp.com