[464 K-Trend] The Popularity of Pop-Up Stores Continues

   A pop-up store is an offline retailer that operates for a short period. Simply put, it can be seen as a short-term, limitedselling store. Pop-up stores appeared as a marketing strategy about ten years ago in Korea but are now commonly found in department stores and on the streets. We can see scenes of many people lining up to enter the store in front of the pop-up store. The Dongguk Post would like to introduce why pop-up stores became so popular in Korea.

Pop-up store origins and today’s pop-up store

   The pop-up store is a “temporary store” that operates for a short period and is named because it is similar to the “Pop-up window” on the Internet webpage. The origin of the pop-up store began with Target, a large discount mart in the United States. In 2002, Target opened a short-term temporary store as an alternative after failing to make room for a new store in Manhattan, New York, and as the store became successful, many companies benchmarked, and various types of pop-up stores emerged.

   Pop-up stores are used as a means (marketing strategy) for brands or products entering the market to examine customer reactions and effectively promote themselves. The types and locations of pop-up stores continue to evolve. In 2013, pop-up stores in Korea rapidly spread around the cosmetics and distribution industries. At that time, pop-up store projects were held in galleries, cafes, and department stores. Especially, pop-up stores were mainly held in Myeong-dong and Garosu-gil, frequently visited by foreign tourists and Koreans.

   Meanwhile, pop-up stores are being opened in various fields and industries, including clothing, K-Drama, and alcoholic beverages. They are held in multiple places. In particular, pop-up stores are operated in independent bookstores, cafes, galleries, and even non commercial spaces such as factories or warehouses. Seongsu-dong, Euljiro, and Itaewon have become attractive places for brands to operate pop-up stores targeting specific target groups with unique cultures and atmospheres of each region.

Why are pop-stores popular?

   Then, why are pop-up stores so popular? There are various reasons for the popularity of pop-up stores. From the consumers’ perspective, pop-up stores provide consumers with various unique experiences that cannot be done in general types of stores. Based on this experience, they have a positive image of the product, naturally leading to product consumption. This process can satisfy consumers because they actively participate when purchasing products.

   From the buyer’s point of view, the popup store has the advantage of reducing the burden economically. The flagship store, which has the opposite meaning to the pop-up store, aims to emphasize and promote the brand’s identity. It operates in the long term and aims to reinforce the brand image through high-end interiors and special customer experiences. Since it is located in a commercial area where rent is high, it is difficult to generate significant profits even if sales are high. However, the pop-up store is operated in the short term, and there is little economic burden in, therefore, it can utilize surplus  space inside department stores or other places.

Pop-up store examples

   Naver Webtoon “Lookism” opened a pop-up store at Jamsil Lotte World Mall to celebrate its 10th anniversary. The inside of the pop-up store introduced webtoon contents and characters and was decorated in the form of an experiential exhibition for fans to enjoy.

   Popular dramas also host pop-up stores after the end of the show. In fact, the drama “Lovely Runner,” which aired in April 2024, opened a pop-up store in The Hyundai Seoul from May 23rd to May 29th. The pop-up store was held by a system in which visitors can enter sequentially by registering for the waiting system after visiting the site without prior reservation. Various props that appeared in the drama were produced and sold. During this period, the waiting number exceeded 1,000 times every morning, and it was successfully held with the attention of many drama fans.

   As such, the popularity of pop-up stores in Korea continues to grow. Consumers can consume attractive and special content prepared by the company. In today’s society, where many people want new things every day, the popularity of pop-up stores will not cool down.