Flameground is a place where you don't just eat burgers, you experience them.
Lee Dong-hyeong, CEO of BKR, which operates Burger King, said this on the 26th at an unveiling event for Burger King's flagship store, Flameground, held in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul.
On the day, Burger King unveiled Flameground, its first flagship store in Korea, and introduced space and menu strategies that differentiate it from typical QSR (quick-service restaurant) outlets. It plans to expand the brand experience by introducing, for the first time among burger brands, a reservation-only course dining service and by presenting a Seongsu-exclusive signature burger.
Lee said, "Flameground is the space that most intensively shows Burger King's genuine dedication to burgers and the essence of the flame-grilled taste built over 43 years," adding, "We planned it to extend the flame-grilled taste beyond the menu into the space and dining experience so customers can experience the brand in a new way." Lee continued, "Korea is the trendiest market in the world," and explained, "Flameground will be the starting point that sets the direction for the brand experience Burger King will present going forward."
Flameground consists of a main hall and a reservation-only course dining space called The Gastro. The Gastro accommodates only 10 people per session and serves a menu that reinterprets the ingredients of a Whopper in a course format. In the main hall, it sells three Flameground-exclusive signature burgers: "K-cube galbi burger," "Memphis BBQ burger," and "Philly cheesesteak."
Choi Young-jin, head of Burger King's Product Innovation Center, said, "The signature menu proposes a new experience based on Burger King's strength in flame grilling and the Whopper's identity," and explained, "The Gastro is a course designed not to turn the Whopper into a completely different dish, but to experience the same Whopper from a new perspective."
The subsequent Q&A revealed why Seongsu was chosen as the first flagship location and outlined future operating plans. BKR Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Lee Seong-ha said, "A global QSR's strength is providing the same experience at any outlet, but Flameground is a space that offers a brand experience you can't get at a regular store," adding, "Seongsu is an area where the legacy of its industrial past coexists with new trends, which we judged aligns well with Burger King's flame-grilled heritage."
They also left open the possibility of additional flagship openings. Lee said, "Rather than being a new growth engine for Burger King, Flameground is a project to showcase the brand's asset and story," while adding, "If we see meaningful results, expanding to other areas is fully possible."
They also offered an outlook for this year's results. Lee said, "This year's sales are expected to be around 1.1 trillion won, and the number of outlets to surpass 600," and added, "I think this is the point at which both the brand and the stores in the domestic market evolve to the next level."
Burger King is also selling craft beer at Flameground through a collaboration with craft beer brand Seoul Brewery. The CMO said, "We decided Seongsu is the place that best suits a culture of enjoying burgers with beer," and added, "We prepared a collaboration that fits Seongsu's locality and the store concept."
Meanwhile, Flameground will officially open on the 10th of next month. The course dining service, The Gastro, will operate by advance reservation, taking bookings for the following month on the 1st of every month through the reservation platform Catchtable.