Generation Z and millennials have emerged as the main consumer groups in Korea. More recently, the popularity of K-pop, K-dramas, and K-food has led to a growing interest in Korean culture abroad. What Do Young Koreans Do series introduces the places, foods, brands, activities, and content that young Koreans are seeking out right now. [Editor’s Note]
Cho Min-kyung, a 29-year-old English teacher, is among the many Koreans thrilled by the recent trend of pop-up stores. “I have always believed in the power of space, which is why I started my career at a fashion brand that regularly renews its stores based on its concept,” she said. “Even after leaving the industry, I still find it fun to observe how brands infuse their identity into a limited space.”
Of the pop-ups she visited this month, Cho said her favorite was that of the eyewear brand Gentle Monster. “The concept was titled ‘Gentle High School,’ and the interior was designed to look like a real high school locker room,” she explained. “Visitors could try on the latest products with provided school uniforms and take pictures.”
However, Cho’s visits to pop-up stores are not limited to just browsing and taking photos. “Brands often use pop-ups to launch limited edition products or offer freebies to their first-come, first-served customers, and I’m interested in these deals,” she said. “And when it comes to bakery pop-ups, I go solely to purchase baked goods.”
Pop-up stores are gaining immense popularity in Korea, being seen almost everywhere. In November, the basement level of The Hyundai Seoul, one of the most sought-after pop-up spaces in Seoul, hosted over 160 pop-ups. Seongsu-dong, also known as Seoul’s “pop-up mecca,” had 53 pop-ups alone during the fourth week of November (Nov. 20-26).
Initially, pop-up stores were introduced in Korea in 2009 to showcase new products in the fashion, retail, and food industries. Over the years, these stores have evolved to become places that offer a unique brand experience. As a result, pop-up stores have become a “must-have” across various industries.
This new role of pop-up stores has attracted especially young Koreans. Innocean, a global advertising agency based in Seoul, recently released a report stating the number of searches for pop-up stores was 11.5 million between 2021 and 2022. Most searches came from people aged between 20-24 years, followed by 25-29 year olds, 13-19 year olds, and 30-34 year olds. The most commonly used search terms included words like photography, space, café, experience, exhibition, and photo zone in conjunction with pop-up stores.
According to a survey conducted by Careet, a Korean trend analysis service, young Koreans consider pop-up stores enjoyable, akin to exhibitions, movie theaters, and restaurants. One respondent even said that visiting a pop-up store has now become a part of their daily routine, just like going to a cute café when going out.
The hotspots that were once only popular among young Koreans are now attracting foreign visitors as well. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, Seongdong-gu, which includes Seongsu-dong, received 613,464 foreign visitors in 2019, 95,557 in 2020, 79,077 in 2021, and 221,09 in 2022. Although the area saw a brief decline during the pandemic, it has emerged as a ‘hip sanctuary’ since French luxury brand Dior opened a concept store there in 2022, with most of its visitors being fashion-conscious twenty-somethings, according to industry insiders.
“They come from so many different places now: the US, Europe, and the Middle East,” said an employee at the flagship store of cosmetics brand Tamburins, which is located across the street from the Dior store. In response to the growing number of young foreigners, Seongdong-gu opened a tourist information center inside Seongsu Station on Line 2 on Nov. 16 and deployed professional interpreters.
The Hyundai Seoul has also become a popular destination for foreign visitors to Korea. In fact, foreign sales at The Hyundai Seoul increased by 891.7% in the first 11 months of this year, following a 731.1% year-on-year increase in 2022.
“I learned about the Christmas Market pop-up on social media and decided to visit The Hyundai Seoul with eight of my friends on Nov. 25,” said Vita, a 35-year-old Chinese woman. “We arrived at the opening time of 10:30 AM and only had to wait for 30 minutes to get in.”
Vita was in luck. The annual Christmas Market pop-up at The Hyundai Seoul is known to have a minimum three to four-hour wait at the door without a reservation. Two Korean university students the reporter met while waiting to get in the pop-up on Nov. 28 said they “cleared their entire day to come here.”
“I also took a day off from work to come here,” said another visitor in her 20s.