Offline retailers such as various outlets, mixed-use shopping malls, and department stores are staying open through the Lunar New Year holiday, which runs until the 18th, to welcome customers. Their strategy is to draw family customers by beefing up discount events and hands-on content.
According to the retail industry on the 16th, Shinsegae Group's mixed-use mall Starfield will be open throughout the holiday, including on Lunar New Year's Day on the 17th. Starfield and Starfield City locations nationwide will operate from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and on Lunar New Year's Day they will open from noon.
During the holiday, Starfield will roll out a variety of festive experience content at stores nationwide that families can enjoy together. Starfield Hanam is holding the "Let's play at ZIP" exhibition with the Straw and Grasses Museum of Everyday Life, and the Coex Mall location is running the experiential pop-up "Ogwang (light) garden," which interprets hwatu (flower cards) in a modern way, through the 18th. The Goyang location will host the "Mischief-maker Byeolmadan grand party," featuring traditional games and yard plays, through the 17th.
In addition, Starfield is expanding across all locations the "Anseong City Namsadang Baudeogi pungmul troupe" performance, which had been a signature holiday program at the Anseong location. Baudeogi pungmul is a traditional performance by the Namsadang troupe led by Baudeogi, the first female leader in the Joseon era. Starfield already held performances at Hanam on the 14th and Coex Mall on the 15th, and will stage shows around the holiday at Goyang on the 16th, Anseong on the 17th, and Suwon on the 18th.
Six Lotte Mall locations nationwide (Jamsil, Suwon, Suji, Gimpo Airport, Eunpyeong, Yeosu) will also open throughout the holiday with no closures. Jamsil Lotte World Mall will open only on Lunar New Year's Day from noon, an hour and 30 minutes later than usual.
Jamsil Lotte World Tower World Park is hosting the "2026 Lotte luminaria" light festival. With about 270,000 lights creating a tunnel of light, visitors can enjoy the night view. At Lotte World Aquarium, a "sea lion ecology talk" where a sea lion joins an aquarist to offer New Year's greetings to visitors, and an event where an aquarist delivers holiday greetings from inside the main tank, will run through the 18th.
Outlet operators are also welcoming customers with discount events. Shinsegae Outlet will operate the Yeoju, Paju, Busan, Siheung, and Jeju premium outlets on a normal schedule, opening at noon only on Lunar New Year's Day. All 17 Lotte Outlet locations and five Lotte Mall locations, as well as all Hyundai Outlet and Connect Hyundai stores, will close only on Lunar New Year's Day.
Lotte Outlet is running the "Outdoor Winter F/W last chance" event targeting late-winter outdoor demand. More than 20 outdoor brands including Salomon, K2, Snow Peak, National Geographic, and Patagonia are offering up to 50% off F/W season products. Through the 15th, it is also running a promotion giving Lotte gift certificates worth 3% of the purchase amount to customers who buy 300,000 won or more in outdoor categories with a Lotte Card.
Shinsegae is holding the "Holiday Super Sale" at the Yeoju, Paju, Busan, and Siheung premium outlets. Sports and outdoor brands such as New Balance, The North Face, Nepa, and Salomon will be discounted up to 50%. Accessories brands including Golden Dew, Rojet d'Or, Rockport, Louis Quatorze, and Ugg will offer up to an additional 20% off.
Hyundai Outlet will host various events at all stores in collaboration with painter Hong Bitna. All same-day purchasers will receive New Year's money envelopes designed with the artist. For visitors, it will also hand out balloons and hold coloring events for children.
Department stores will close for only two days each around Lunar New Year's Day. Twenty-nine Lotte Department Store locations (Jamsil, Main, Gangnam, Konkuk Star City, Gwanak, Gimpo Airport, Nowon, Mia, Yeongdeungpo, Cheongnyangni, Incheon, Dongtan, Guri, Suwon, Ansan, Ilsan, Jungdong, Pyeongchon, Busan Main, Gwangbok, Gwangju, Daegu, Daejeon, Dongnae, Sangin, Ulsan, Jeonju, Changwon, Pohang) will close on the day before and the day of the holiday. The Bundang and Centum City locations will close on the holiday and the following day.
Shinsegae Department Store will close 11 locations (Gangnam, Times Square, South City, Centum City, Daegu Shinsegae, Daejeon Shinsegae Art & Science, Masan, Gimhae, Gwangju Shinsegae, Uijeongbu, Cheonan-Asan) on the day before and the day of the holiday. The Shinsegae Main Store will close on the holiday and the following day, and the Hanam location will close only on the holiday.
Hyundai Department Store will close 11 locations (Trade Center, Cheonho, Sinchon, Mokdong, Jungdong, Kintex, Pangyo, The Hyundai Seoul, The Hyundai Daegu, Ulsan, Chungcheong) for two days, the day before and the day of the holiday. Two locations (Apgujeong Main and Mia) will close on the holiday and the following day. Four Galleria Department Store locations (Timeworld, Gwanggyo, Center City, Jinju) will close for two days, the day before and the day of the holiday, and the Apgujeong luxury hall will close on the holiday and the following day.
A retail industry official said, "As more family groups visit during the holiday, we are strengthening hands-on elements that different age groups can enjoy in stores while also running discount events."