Philip Morris International announced Wednesday that it will launch its IQOS Iluma i series in Korea on February 13.
At a press conference held at Lotte Hotel in Jung District, central Seoul, Philip Morris Korea’s managing director, Hannah Yun, emphasized the company’s commitment to a “smoke-free future.”
“There was a time when Philip Morris couldn’t be talked about without mentioning Marlboro. But now, we’re [sending] the cigarettes to the museum,” Yun said.
The latest IQOS Iluma i lineup introduces new features such as a touch screen, extended battery life, and a temporary pause function. Korean consumers will have access to two models—the IQOS Iluma i Prime and the standard IQOS Iluma i—available in five colors.
Japan, a key market for IQOS, saw the series launch last year, with the brand accounting for 26.7% of the country’s total heated tobacco and cigarette sales in 2023. While Japan has three devices in the IQOS Iluma i lineup, only two will be introduced in Korea initially.
The new devices provide a “better alternative for adult smokers who cannot quit,” Yun said.
Since its entry into the Korean market in 2017, IQOS initially led the heated tobacco sector but has recently faced competition from KT&G’s lil. However, Yun stressed that Philip Morris is more focused on transitioning smokers from cigarettes to heated tobacco products rather than just market share.
“Market share is, of course, important but that’s a secondary issue; we are instead focusing on shifting the market from cigarettes to heated tobacco products,” Yun said. “The market for heated tobacco products that are created using science-backed technology must grow, and we are proud that we created a market that didn’t exist before by launching IQOS in 2017.”
