South Korean e-commerce company Coupang has denied any plans to acquire a portion of the struggling supermarket chain Homeplus, despite speculation fueled by local media reports. Homeplus, owned by private equity fund MBK Partners, operates both large discount stores and smaller hypermarkets across the country. Reports had suggested that Coupang's potential interest in acquiring Homeplus Express was driven by the opportunity to expand into quick commerce using Homeplus' logistics centers for ultra-fast deliveries. The speculations arose as MBK Partners had put up approximately 310 branches of Homeplus Express for sale in June, indicating a shift in the retail landscape from offline to online purchasing. Although experts believe MBK Partners may be seeking to sell off both Homeplus and Homeplus Express due to changing market dynamics, the private equity fund has maintained that the decision to sell Homeplus Express is aimed at enhancing the efficiency of Homeplus' operations, rather than recouping its investment. This development reflects the challenges faced by brick-and-mortar retailers in an increasingly competitive e-commerce environment.