Convenience store Emart24 has settled in Seongsu-dong, considered the most "hip (meaning trend-savvy)" area in Seoul, with its flagship store Trend Lab Seongsu. Trend Lab Seongsu is a space that embodies Emart24's direction. Emart24 is aiming to grow in the convenience store industry with trendiness as its weapon.
Trend Lab Seongsu, unveiled on the 27th, was a small cultural space that actively reflects the lifestyle of people in their teens to 30s. Going beyond the existing convenience store model, it carries the ambition to stock everything that Gen Z (those born in or after 1997) women would like.
With the opening of the flagship store, Emart24 also revealed a new slogan. The new slogan is "All day Highlight," meaning "to make every moment in daily life shine brighter." A Shinsegae Group official said it means "to make it a place that showcases products that brighten the daily lives of consumers in their teens to 30s before anyone else."
The store is divided into four zones. Closest to the entrance was a brand pop-up zone curated with brands popular at the moment. This time, it was stocked with AMUSE's Sanrio character items such as Bebe Tint and Ceramic Cushion, favored by people in their teens and 20s. It was also filled with Frontrow apparel from fashion platform W Concept and winter season fashion items. An Emart24 official said, "We plan to stock popular products every three months."
The event zone is where you can find Emart24 MDs' experimental trend products. To actively unearth items in line with the times, Emart24 created a Trend Lab, and this is the zone where you can see its capabilities. This time it unveiled 18 exclusive goods from Trickcal Revive, which thrills game enthusiasts in their teens to 30s. The 18 exclusive goods will be available for pre-order on the Emart24 app starting on the 28th and can be picked up later at stores nationwide. At Trend Lab Seongsu, you can check out the goods in person and buy them on-site.
The star product zone was designed so shoppers can find carefully developed hit products in one place. Emart24's recently launched Seoul University Bread series and collaboration items with star chefs, including Chosun Hotel chef Son Jong-won, Choi Hyun-seok, Lu Ching Lai, and Austin Kang, as well as monthly releases, can be found here first.
A value-for-money cafe space was also created. You can enjoy made-to-order coffee, real fruit smoothies, and bakery items. Prices for Americano, cafe latte, and matcha latte are set below 3,000 won. In addition, a diverse selection of alcoholic beverages, including wine, is available to drink right away at "corkage-free" restaurants around Seongsu Station.
Emart24 said it plans to unveil a total of 600 differentiated products at Trend Lab Seongsu over the course of 2026. To that end, it will also strengthen collaboration with Shinsegae Group affiliates such as Shinsegae Food, Shinsegae L&B, and Chosun Hotel. An Emart24 official said, "Starting with this flagship store opening, we plan to add four more stores next year with clearly defined concepts such as K-culture and desserts."
In the retail industry, attention is focused on whether Emart24 can boost store sales by strengthening product competitiveness and create a shift that wins back the No. 3 spot in the convenience store sector. Based on the number of domestic convenience store locations, the industry's No. 1 and No. 2 are CU (17,762) and GS25 (17,390). No. 3 is 7-Eleven (13,130), and No. 4 is Emart24 (6,598).
A retail industry official said, "With new openings becoming difficult, we have to look for market changes that occur when existing franchisees do not renew and switch convenience store brands, and in that climate, Emart24's direction seems right," adding, "We need to see whether practical changes follow going forward."