The Taiwanese bubble tea chain is seeking to boost its profile among younger consumers through a partnership with Stray Kids’ star, Felix
Gong cha has signed up K Pop star, Felix, as its new Global Brand Ambassador.
Felix Yongbok Lee is a founding member of the South Korean K-pop band Stray Kids, which has sold over 31 million albums since launching in 2018.
The London-headquartered bubble tea chain, which operates 2,200 stores across 29 markets globally, said the first campaigns featuring Felix will launch in South Korea in June 2025 before being rolled out to international markets in the second half of the year.
Limited-edition product ranges featuring Felix will also be launched in South Korea over the next six months.
With more than 800 stores, South Korea is one of Gong cha’s largest markets and was a key contributor to the chain’s record system-wide sales in 2024, when revenues exceeded $600m for the first time.
Felix, who has previously held brand ambassador roles at luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton and electronics giant Samsung, will leverage his 26.7 million Instagram followers to promote Gong cha beverages – including his go-to order of Taro Milk with 100% sweetness and extra pearls.
His appointment is the latest move by Gong cha to deepen its appeal among younger consumers following brand partnerships with gaming series Final Fantasy and character universe Line Friends over the last 12 months.
K Pop is big business in South Korea, and the genre has gained a cult following around the world, particularly among Gen Z and Gen Alpha.
Fast-growing Korean coffee chain Compose Coffee first partnered with BTS singer V in December 2023 and frequently credits the star with boosting sales, loyalty membership and mobile app downloads.
BTS has also worked on brand activations with US coffee chain Starbucks in South Korea, as well as ice-cream chain Baskin-Robbins and fast-food giant McDonald’s.
Additionally, South Korea’s Mega Coffee regularly promotes the SM Entertainment agency’s K Pop artists across its 3,500 stores via advertising, in-person events and interviews.
In 2025, Italian coffee chain Caffè Pascucci and Canada’s Tim Hortons each unveiled K-pop stars as their first Brand Ambassadors in South Korea, partnering with Aespa’s Karina and NCT’s Mark, respectively.
