On the afternoon of the 1st, the last day of the three-day holiday, the middle of Yeouido, Seoul was clogged up with cars even in the midst of rain. It was followed by vehicles planning to visit The Hyundai Seoul, which was officially opened on the 26th of last month. About 10 department store parking workers came out wearing raincoats and tried to organize traffic, but it was not enough. As the bus stop in front of the department store was blocked by a vehicle line, passengers could get on and off the bus in the middle of the road.
On the afternoon of the 1st, a car parade continues into the parking lot of The Hyundai Seoul in Yeouido, Seoul. / Reporter Lee Seon-mok
Kim Mo (31), an office worker living in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, said, “I took a bus, but the road was blocked from before two stops, so I did something.” .
Visitors to the store were of various configurations, including family members and couples. The age range also ranged from children who came with their mothers to middle-aged people. Visitors were looking around each store or looking around the department store, taking pictures, and having fun.
On the afternoon of the 1st, visitors are crowded at The Hyundai Seoul in Yeouido, Seoul. / Reporter Lee Seon-mok
In particular, long lines were noticeable throughout the store. It was difficult to find empty seats at the cafes and restaurants on the 1st and 2nd basement floors and the 5th and 6th floors, as well as the tables in the 5th floor’Sounds Forest’, a relaxation space of more modern Seoul.
In addition to the luxury goods store on the first floor, the line of visitors stretched in front of the furniture stores and electronics stores such as LG Electronics and Samsung Electronics. An official at the bed brand Simmons said, “In commemoration of the opening, various discount events were held, so there were a lot of consultations especially for newlyweds.
There is a long line of waiting for visitors in front of the electronics store in The Hyundai Seoul./Reporter Lee Seon-mok
A visitor lined up in front of an electronics store complained to the store staff, saying, “It has already been 30 minutes since we waited for the consultation turn”. In response, the store employee guided, “According to the guidelines for quarantine against coronavirus infection (Corona 19), the number of people entering the store is limited to 50 teams.” . Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are currently holding the grand opening event of The Hyundai Seoul Premium Store.
The most crowded places were on the 5th and 6th floors. More than 50 customers lined up at’Blue Bottle’, a coffee store that is known as a popular store in The Hyundai Seoul. In addition, customers waited for the Lego Store and the Korean version of Amazon Go (unmanned store)’Uncommon Store’. Some stores were guiding the turn to’KakaoTalk’ by entering the phone number on the device at the entrance. Most popular stores had dozens of people waiting.
Visitors are crowded in front of the’Blue Bottle’ store on the 5th floor of The Hyundai Seoul and the exhibition space on the 1st floor. / Reporter Lee Sun-mok
The exhibition spaces arranged throughout the department stores were also crowded. In front of the work’New spring forest’ by British designer duo’Studio Swain’ on the first floor, a line of customers from the whole family held hands with children. It is a space with pillars that drop soap bubbles in a separate space blocked by a mirror wall, and it was popular with children.
In addition, the retrospective exhibition’Andy Warhol-Beginning Seoul’ by pop artist’Andy Warhol’ was being held at Alt.1, a complex cultural space on the 6th floor. There was no waiting line in front of the exhibition hall, but visitors continued to visit.
The underwear section on the 3rd floor of The Hyundai Seoul. Most of the products currently on display are red underwear. / Reporter Lee Seon-mok
The’red underwear zone’, which is popular every time the department store opens, also attracted attention. Currently, the underwear store on the third floor of The Hyundai Seoul is filled with red underwear. This is because many consumers look for red underwear according to the myth that’buying red underwear when opening a department store brings good luck’. According to underwear brand Vivian, when the Lotte Department Store Gwangbok branch in Busan was opened in 2000, red underwear sold for a week after opening, worth 1.7 billion won. An employee of an underwear brand said, “Somehow, when the department store opens, red underwear goes well. There are still many popular models that only have one size left.”
Some voices are concerned about the’prevention hole’ over the crowds of visitors to more modern Seoul. An aunt (29), a resident near Yeouido, said, “I am worried that there are too many people crowded in department stores, although there are still corona19 confirmed cases.” “I said.
