Now that the weather is getting warmer, and COVID-19 restrictions are getting more lenient, Korea is back in full force. Apart from going out and enjoying the delish cuisine, here are some unique experiences that will make your time in Hankook (Korea) more special. Maybe for some, this would be something to look forward to as they plan their visit to Korea or even something to note on their bucket list for future trips.
On today’s episode, pop-up stores.
Whether it’s on K-Pop, beauty, fashion, food, or specific merch, you will be able to find pop-up stores happening at all times in Korea. They are fun to check out, aesthetically pleasing, have unique merch, and oftentimes come with freebies or discounts. Even during COVID-19, there were pop-up stores and venues where you could make an appointment at designated time slots. Some pop-up stores are around for a longer time, while some are only up to 2 or 3 days. Usually, it would be easiest to find the events via Twitter or Instagram, under ‘팝업’ ‘팝업스토어’ (pop-up, pop-up store) or the location+ these keywords like 홍대 (Hongdae) ‘홍대팝업’ ‘홍대팝업스토어’.
Here are a few current and upcoming pop-up stores in Korea if this is something that interests you. The list is in the order of these events’ duration!
1. Maison Yves Roche Pop-Up Store
“Yves Roche at Cotscafe” is currently happening until April 2nd, 2023.
40-11 Seoulsup 2-gilSeongdong-gu, Seoul
Cotscafe is a hip, trendy cafe located in Seoul Forrest. So this opportunity will allow you to check out this trendy cafe AND also this flowery and artsy pop-up. Those who visited this venue for this event said that it’s a field of flowers. On the 3rd floor, you can see and try Yves Roche products, and the 4th floor is a rooftop with multiple flower arrangements and goodies/freebies. You can also purchase their products at a discounted rate. Apart from several photo walls, they also have their own instant camera.
2. BTS x LEGO Collaboration Pop-Up Store
Picture taken by Lilly
“LEGO BTS Dynamite Store” is currently happening until April 9th, 2023.
426 Gangnam-daeroGangnam-gu, Seoul
You can make your own lego figures to place in the “concert hall”, check out the lego statue of each member, get a BTSxLEGO keepsake, and purchase a BTS Lego set. Once you complete the activities, they also give you a coin for a claw machine- where you can win mini lego bags. It’s not an all-day event, but worth checking out if you are a BTS fan or in the area.
3. Choigosim Pop-Up Store
Picture taken by Lilly
“GOSIM PHARMACY” is currently happening until April 30th, 2023.
326-2 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
You might have to wait a little bit! They only let in about 5-6 people at a time, and there is a strong fan base in Korea. This pop-up store consists of unique merchandise, mainly stationeries, based on these characters. I mean, who says no to cute stationeries? Choigosim is a series of popular characters that you can see frequently on Kakaotalk or other SNS platforms. The name may seem unfamiliar but you might have seen these illustrations before.
4. KANU Pop-Up Store
KANU Official
“Seongsu KANU House” is currently happening until May 21st, 2023.
15 Seoulsup 4-gilSeongdong-gu, Seoul
So far we’ve covered beauty, toy, and stationeries pop-ups. This time, it’s a food/ electronics pop-up! Also located in Seoul Forrest, so perhaps that says something about the area and how there are many opportunities like these for you to enjoy! It’s a 5 story building with a rooftop, each floor being a different concept. You can try a flavor or two from eight of their capsule coffee collection, and their newly launched coffee machine. Once you go through the floors and the corresponding activities, they give you freebies to take home- and trust me, each floor is a perfect backdrop for your next photoshoot. A coffee lover’s dream!
5. Departmental Store Pop-Ups, The Hyundai, Shinsegae…
The department stores in Korea have pop-up stores going on constantly! For example, The Hyundai Seoul, a departmental store in Yeouido, has a whole floor dedicated to pop-up stores called the pop-up zone.
Sometimes it’s fun to check it out by visiting unexpectedly, and sometimes you can plan your visit by referring to the department stores’ websites. Another added benefit of these department store pop-ups is that they aren’t just located in Seoul, but you can find them pretty much anywhere where there is a department store in Korea!