Korean coffee franchises are moving beyond a simple race to open more stores and are putting effort into unique and premium locations. Specialized stores combined with local landmarks such as Han River views, traditional houses, and temples are popping up, strengthening customer experiences. It is a survival strategy to endure in a saturated café market and an attempt at brand differentiation.
According to the industry on the 29th, Starbucks opened its Ttukseom Hangang Park store in Jul. and its Yeouido Hangang Park store in Aug. Both are located near the Han River bus docks, highlighting the "Han River view." The Yeouido Hangang Park store is decorated with a cruise-inspired interior, allowing customers to take in panoramic river views through floor-to-ceiling windows. The Ttukseom Hangang Park store is a floating location that seems to sit on the water, with neon signs, pocket seats, and vintage-style furniture evoking a 1970s American coffee house.
Both locations serve cocktails and beer (Byul Dabang Lager). They are open until 11 p.m. to attract customers who want to enjoy the Han River nightscape late into the evening.
In particular, the Yeouido Hangang Park store implemented an all-seat reservation system to coincide with the Seoul International Fireworks Festival held on the 27th. Seats were divided by view into the Golden View Zone, Silver View Zone, and Café Zone, and the highest tier, the Golden View Zone, was 200,000 won for two people. The package included four Byul Dabang Lagers or two beverages, a blueberry marble cheesecake, a snack bundle, and two tumblers. All seats for the fireworks festival sold out as soon as reservations opened on the 22nd. The store is being used not only as a place to consume beverages but also as a cultural space.
Paul Bassett, operated by M's Seed, an affiliate of Maeil Dairies, opened a specialized store inside Seonunsa Temple in Gochang, North Jeolla, in Aug. This location offers menus featuring local specialties and traditional Korean restorative ingredients, including bokbunja ade, ssanghwatang, sweet red bean porridge, pumpkin porridge, and pumpkin sikhye. The hanok exterior has been preserved, while the interior applies Paul Bassett's signature design, creating a unique store where tradition and modernity meet. From the spacious terrace, visitors can also enjoy the beautiful natural scenery of Seonunsan Provincial Park.
A Twosome Place unveiled its Gumi Anga Gotaek store in Gumi, North Gyeongsang, created by remodeling a traditional hanok residence. The exterior retains the charm of the old house, while the interior has been modernized. Behind the store is Mount Geumo, and in front is a garden with a small lake, offering visitors a place to relax.
Large coffee franchises are investing in unique stores to win over customers as competition with low-priced coffee brands intensifies. That is because competition based only on price and convenience makes it hard to achieve brand differentiation. They are moving beyond simply expanding the number of outlets to give customers a reason to seek them out and to extend their length of stay. As consumers actively seek distinctive spatial experiences and specialized services, large coffee franchises are targeting regional landmarks and tourist attractions with differentiated store concepts and content to draw in customers.
In addition, such unique stores serve as a stage to test brand strategy and set direction over the long term. Through premium stores, they can elevate brand image and pilot new interiors, menus, and operating methods before rolling them out to standard locations. In effect, they function as test beds.
An industry official said, "You have to create experiences that are only possible at this store for customers to accept travel expense and time and higher prices to visit," adding, "In particular, Generation Z enjoys a brand's space, worldview, and story and values sharing them online, so the effect relative to advertising spend is significant because consumers voluntarily spread the content. It serves not only to drive sales but also to design brand experiences and storytelling."