Seoul department stores get into holiday spirits with themed markets, lights and holiday decorations
Seoul is hauling out the holly as the city's major department stores unveil seasonal decorations to attract visitors ahead of the holiday.
Each retailer is showcasing its take on Christmas, from luxury brand collaborations to elaborate Christmas markets and immersive installations. Many have already set up seasonal displays, transforming store entrances into festive attractions, around 50 days before Christmas amid strong public interest.
At Galleria Department Store in Apgujeong, a Christmas tree created in collaboration with Italian luxury brand Loro Piana is on display through Dec. 31. The collaboration also includes a Seoul Exclusive Capsule Selection offered at the store. It follows the Galleria's previous holiday collaborations with luxury brands including Bulgari, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Prada.
Lotte Department Store Main Store in Myeong-dong is illuminating its exterior with 20,000 light bulbs, and an installation featuring the store's new Christmas character, Hey Yeti, will greet passengers alongside a Christmas market. A 100-meter stretch near Euljiro 1-ga Station on Subway Line No. 2 has also been transformed into a "Street of Light."
Lotte Department Store's Jamsil branch will run its own Christmas market from Nov. 19 to Jan. 3. This year's theme draws inspiration from 19th-century Christmas markets. Its 2,645-square-meter outdoor plaza will feature a merry-go-round, a 17-meter-tall clock tower of Victorian architecture, red brick structures, and arched windows. Food offerings will include English rotisserie chickens and fish and chips.
Shinsegae Department Store is presenting a Christmas-themed media facade and holiday markets at branches across the country, including those in Gangnam, Daejeon and Busan.
The store's iconic media facade in Myeong-dong features a Christmas bear guarding a post office before setting off on a balloon ship, carrying letters filled with people's wishes. The display runs through Jan. 31, every day from 5 p.m. to midnight.
Under the name "Christmas in New York City," Hyundai Department Store is transforming its branches in Apgujeong and the Trade Center into streets of New York from the 1980s.
At The Hyundai Seoul in Yeouido, H Village will take on a New York-themed market, with more than 13 stories of buildings that are as high as 10 meters across the venue, alongside figures of yellow New York taxis. Reservations for the Christmas village will open Tuesday. Walk-in access will also be available for international visitors, The Hyundai Seoul said.
mjcha@heraldcorp.com
