Department stores celebrate Yuletide with spectacular displays

The Christmas spirit is changing dramatically in Korea, with department stores leading holiday celebrations.

Citizens take photos in front of the Christmas tree installed at the exterior of Lotte Department Store's main branch in central Seoul on Nov. 3. [YONHAP]

The Christmas spirit is changing dramatically in Korea, with department stores leading holiday celebrations.

Traditionally celebrated at homes and churches, Christmas in Korea had limited outdoor festivities, especially with copyright issues hindering carol playing in stores — prompting those looking to experience the festive atmosphere to travel to Europe or the United States during the year-end season.

But in recent years, major department store operators in Seoul — including Shinsegae, Hyundai, and Lotte — are embracing the role of Christmas attractions. Inspired by the enchanting Christmas windows and giant trees in Galeries Lafayette or Printemps in Paris, Korean department stores have adorned their exteriors with captivating Christmas decorations. This has sparked a spirited competition to create the most festive atmosphere and boost year-end sales in the face of a lackluster retail market.

The Christmas décor at The Hyundai department store in Yeouido, western Seoul, is inspired by European Christmas markets this year. [HYUNDAI DEPARTMENT STORE GROUP]

Hyundai's Christmas tale goes beyond décor

In the heart of Seoul's Yeouido district, The Hyundai Seoul hosts a Christmas market reminiscent of Strasbourg, France, this year. With the theme 'La Boutique d’Harry,' the market's alleyways are lined with 16 stores bearing French signs. Breaking from the norm of exterior decorations, The Hyundai has transformed its interior into a festive spectacle, featuring an 11-meter (36-feet) Christmas tree and a charming European-style alley, making it the largest indoor Christmas display in Korea, covering 3,300 square meters (35,520 square feet).

Famed for its Instagrammable photo spots for Christmas and last year's iconic Christmas tree, The Hyundai has taken a unique approach by infusing narratives into its decorations.

“Last year, amid the Russia-Ukraine war, the display aimed for unity and harmony — and this year, the focus shifts to extending warmth to war-displaced individuals, creating an alley with a heartfelt ambiance,” said Chung Min-kyoo, art director at Hyundai Department Store. “The narrative continues from last year's theme of war and peace.”

Christmas decorations, featuring the festive mascot bear Harry, adorn The Hyundai Department Store in Yeouido, western Seoul. [SEO JI-EUN]

While Hyundai's Christmas wonderland is a sight to behold, the limited indoor space means it's not accessible to everyone. Only those who have made online reservations or on-site registrations via QR codes after a no-show from a reservation can enter. The department store operates in hourly slots, starting from 10:30 a.m., with an average daily attendance of 5,000 on weekdays and 10,000 on weekends.

Thursday's opening at 10:30 a.m. saw a flood of visitors eager to experience the festive ambiance. Even a foreign couple, unaware of the reservation system, lingered at the entrance before reluctantly turning away.

“My Taiwanese friend told me about this place yesterday, and the picture looked very beautiful, so I came here not for shopping but just to take photos and make good memories,” said Kathy, a 26-year-old tourist from Taiwan, showing her phone screen telling that by 11 a.m., the queue had already reached 150.

Citizens visiting Myeong-dong in central Seoul on Thursday photograph the media facade installed on the exterior of Shinsegae Department Store's main branch. [YONHAP]

Shinsegae's record-breaking Christmas facade

Shinsegae Department Store's flagship location has made a grand comeback with its biggest Christmas display ever.

Pioneering media facades in 2014, Shinsegae has sparked a Christmas competition — drawing massive crowds with its 2021 circus-themed display that even caused traffic disruptions in central Seoul streets. To maintain its “original” status, the store incorporated a record-breaking 3.75 million LED chips this year, transforming the entire outer wall into an immense screen.

Running from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. until Jan. 31 next year, the exterior media facade features Christmas videos, each lasting approximately 3 minutes.

The Christmas media facade at Shinsegae Department Store's main branch in Jung District, central Seoul [SHINSEGAE DEPARTMENT STORE]

This year's theme, “Shinsegae Theater: From Legacy to Fantasy,” immerses viewers in an imaginary Christmas world following a golden deer. This is accompanied by Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 22 and Christmas carols composed and arranged by Shinsegae and local composers.

The festive ambiance extends to Shinsegae's interior for the first time, creating a Christmas market street on the connecting passage between the main building and the new annex.

“In a bid to attract foreign tourists, we will play our flagship store's Christmas video on digital billboards at Incheon International Airport's arrival hall, and throughout December, the store will be featured in ads on the in-flight monitors of Asiana Airlines' international flights,” a Shinsegae official said.

Window displays with Christmas decorations at Lotte Department Store's main branch in Jung District, central Seoul [LOTTE DEPARTMENT STORE]

Lotte's Christmas wonderland

Lotte Department Store was the first to unveil the festive decorations this year, commencing from Nov. 3. The front area of its main branch in central Seoul, approximately 100 meters, features a towering Giant Tree 15 meters tall. A large media facade on the main building's outer wall showcases animated Christmas-themed stories, illuminating the exterior at night until the year's end.

Not only from the outside but inside, the window showcases include moving figures, Christmas gift items, interactive media and infinity mirrors.

A Christmas-themed carousel installed at the outside of the Lotte World Tower in Jamsil, southern Seoul [LOTTE DEPARTMENT STORE]

In addition to the enchanting transformation at the Sogong-dong main branch, the Lotte Department Store hosted a Christmas-themed garden lighting ceremony at the famous landmark Lotte World Tower in Jamsil on Friday. The store has also created a photo spot with a 19-meter-tall Big Wish Tree and a carousel with more than 2,000 lights operating daily from noon to 10 p.m.

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]