At the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, long lines form in front of cafes and restaurants on weekends or days when popular exhibitions open. After viewing exhibitions, eating a meal, resting at a cafe, or browsing cultural goods has taken root as a standard course of visit.
The National Museum of Korea is emerging as a new battleground for the dining industry. With visitors surging to about 3.8 million in just the first half of this year, a large commercial zone has formed where stable food-and-beverage demand can be expected. The ability to promote Korean-style menus and brands to domestic and international consumers is another reason dining companies are showing interest in operating rights.
According to the dining industry on the 23rd, Lotte GRS reopened the first-floor food court "Hansik Migwan" in the west exhibition wing of the National Museum of Korea on the 16th after a makeover. Measuring about 275 pyeong with 316 seats, it is composed of five sections selling bibimbap, soups and stews, snack foods, Chinese and Western food, and chicken.
Curves and eaves of traditional Korean roofs were applied at the entrance, and colors inspired by Joseon Dynasty paintings were used throughout the store. Museum-exclusive menus such as yukgaejang short rib patty set and five-color samjang full-course set were also introduced. A Lotte GRS official said, "We will continue to develop differentiated food-and-beverage consignment operation models tailored to various commercial zones to strengthen growth drivers."
Earlier, EDIYA COFFEE has been operating five cafes inside the museum since March. Eight companies, including Ediya Inc., CJ Freshway, Lotte GRS, SCK Company, which operates Starbucks, Samsung Welstory, Foodist, and OURHOME, competed to be selected as the operator. Ediya ranked first in negotiation order and secured the final operating rights.
The biggest reason companies compete for operating rights at the National Museum of Korea is its drawing power. From January to June this year, visitors totaled 3,795,400, up 39.7% from the same period last year. It is the first time since opening that first-half visitors have exceeded 3 million. It has already surpassed the 2024 annual visitor count of 3,788,785. Foreign visitors rose 68.8% in the same period to 165,404.
The National Museum of Korea has permanent and special exhibitions, a children's museum, and outdoor spaces, which keep family visitors on site for long periods. The longer the stay, the more natural the demand becomes not only for coffee and snacks but also for full meals.
Food-and-beverage options inside the museum are limited. Unlike street commercial districts where numerous shops compete, visitor demand can be absorbed stably. The customer base is diverse—from children and students to families, middle-aged and older adults, and foreigners—reducing reliance on specific time slots or age groups.
◇ A showcase for promoting K-food
Setting up shop at the National Museum of Korea delivers brand benefits beyond sales. Ediya Inc. introduced specialized menus using Korean ingredients such as black sesame and gim bugak, pear and quince, and black sesame paste. A homegrown coffee brand that grew around alleyways and office districts can build a "K-cafe" image in a cultural space representing Korea.
Lotte GRS also implemented Korean-style interiors and tableware, museum-exclusive menus, and installed multilingual barrier-free kiosks. It plans to promote museum exhibitions at stores nationwide and jointly run traditional food-making experiences.
It is also appealing as a place to test foreign visitors' menu preferences, price acceptance, and multilingual ordering methods. Menus and operating methods that receive strong responses can be applied at airports or overseas locations.
◇ Concession business expanding into cultural facilities
Competition to enter the National Museum of Korea also aligns with dining companies' expansion of concession businesses. Concessions are ventures that operate food-and-beverage outlets by consignment in multiuse facilities such as airports, train stations, hospitals, and performance halls.
Lotte GRS has recently been expanding by securing operating rights at Incheon International Airport and the Seoul Arts Center. From January to May this year, concession revenue rose about 60% from a year earlier. Entering the National Museum of Korea signifies that a business once centered on airports and stations has expanded into cultural facilities.
Museums also need to attract professional dining companies. If they can reliably accommodate surging visitor numbers and establish a flow that connects meals, rest, and product purchases, they can increase length of stay and satisfaction.
The National Museum of Korea is transforming from a place to view artifacts into a K-culture complex where visitors enjoy food and drink, shopping, and rest together. For dining companies, it is a commercial zone drawing millions and a stage for brand promotion, while for the museum, it serves as infrastructure that completes the viewing experience.
A retail industry official said, "In the past, food-and-beverage facilities inside museums were considered ancillary amenities for visitor convenience, but recently they have grown to play a core content role that extends time on site and completes the overall viewing experience," adding, "Given the National Museum of Korea's stable drawing power and its brand-promotion effect for foreign tourists, competition for operating rights among major dining companies will become even fiercer."