Cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence, big data, and Internet of Things, have revolutionized our lives. China, in particular, has progressed remarkably in reforming outdated finance and retail systems through these technologies over the last few decades. Alibaba has played an essential role in this growth. How has Alibaba led the fourth industrial revolution, innovating old systems? This study examines Alibaba‘s growth strategies and provides implications for Korean companies. Alibaba, which started as an e-commerce company in 1999, faced growth limitations due to a poor finance system. To overcome this obstacle, it developed Alipay, a third-party payment system, in 2004. Furthermore, as mobile phones spread in China, Alibaba rapidly provided mobile payment services, helping Alibaba collect both on- and off-line purchasing data. It utilized big data again to provide customized financial products. Recently, Alibaba has continued to innovate inefficient retail systems under the slogan “new retail”, encouraging customers to have new shopping experiences without boundaries between online and offline commerce. This case implies that if a company explores novel ways to overcome obstacles, it could improve the market unprecedentedly. Therefore, if our companies—which have excellent human resources and technological strength —develop innovative business models through fourth industrial revolution technologies, they could profit in both domestic and foreign markets.