Pop-up like it's hot: Exclusivity of 'temporary' stores draws crowds, cash

Pop-up stores are not just test beds for small retailers, but a cultural phenomenon cashing in on the social currency of "exclusivity" — a move that is proving successul for brands and big business for host venues.

Visitors line up to purchase products at a pop-up store by Japan’s largest variety retailer, Don Quijote, at The Hyundai Seoul in Yeouido, western Seoul, on July 8. [YONHAP]

At dawn on July 8, the usual commuter rush filled Yeouido Station in western Seoul: office workers clutching coffee, eyes fixed on their phones. But another crowd was gathering — not to board trains, but to line up.

Outside The Hyundai Seoul, shoppers waited for the first day of a collaboration between GS25 and popular Japanese discount giant Don Quijote. By the time the department store opened, all 1,200 daily admissions tickets were gone. The next morning, people lined up at 5 a.m.

“I knew I had to come because it’s a limited event in Korea,” said Kang Ga-ram, who waited for hours. “I bought one of everything. I even snagged the limited-edition goods.”

Pop-ups in Korea are no longer just retail tests or fleeting promotions. They have become full-blown cultural phenomena — immersive experiences that consumers plan for, line up for and post about long after they close. From flash retail to flagship moment

Pop-ups, once a low-risk proving ground for new brands, are now centerpieces of marketing strategy — and, increasingly, profit engines.

The proof is in the data.

Korea saw 1,488 pop-up stores open in the first half of this year, according to retail platform SuiteSpot, more than double the number from the same period last year at 680.

At The Hyundai Seoul, considered ground zero for pop-up culture, every pop-up slot for the entire year was already booked months ago.

These aren’t just booths with banners. They’re immersive installations, often with exclusive products, photo zones and social media-ready moments. Brands aren’t just selling — they’re staging. Experience over product

Back in 2020, mattress maker Simmons ran its “Simmons Hardware Store” pop-up series across cities like Seoul, Incheon and Busan.

The “Simmons Hardware Store″ pop-up opens in eastern Seoul in 2020. [SIMMONS]

What did it sell? Not mattresses, but T-shirts, tea sets and kitchen tools. Why? Because Simmons wasn’t selling beds — it was selling a vibe.

In eight months, the pop-up drew 60,000 visitors, many from the millennial and Gen Z generations who saw it as an Instagrammable excursion.

“Beds are something people buy maybe once a decade," a Simmons representative said. "We wanted people to experience our brand in other ways. We think it helped our core sales, too.”

That blueprint has since been adopted by other major companies.

LG Electronics turned nostalgia into an arcade-themed pop-up. Lotte Wellfood launched a Ghana chocolate house, with an emphasis on the notion that the product matters — but the experience matters more. Different streets, different stories

Pop-up culture in Korea also varies by location.

In Seongsu-dong, eastern Seoul, brands like Coupang and Musinsa have opened pop-ups focused less on sales and more on platform engagement.

Visitors get samples, app coupons and gentle nudges to connect offline discovery with online loyalty.

Visitors crowd the 2025 Olive Young Festa, Korea’s largest experiential beauty and health festival, held at Nodeul Island in western Seoul on May 22. [NEWS1]

Over at The Hyundai Seoul, the vibe is different. Pop-ups aren’t just experiential — they’re lucrative.

When the women’s apparel brand Umer opened a one-week pop-up there last May, it drew more than 1,000 shoppers per day and made over 800 million won ($582,000).

“It was our first test in an offline setting, and it opened possibilities for success,” a Umer representative said. “It even led to talks with international retailers.” The appeal: Scarcity and status

Why are pop-ups booming in a world where you can buy nearly anything online?

Part of it is scarcity. Limited-edition products available only on-site become instant collectibles.

GS Retail’s Don Quijote pop-up, for example, featured exclusive mascot goods — plush toys, bags and accessories — that quickly sold out.

Another reason is status. Visiting a pop-up is becoming a kind of social currency, especially when the event is short-lived and held at a trendy spot.

“I meet my friends at Seongsu Station just to walk around and explore new pop-ups,” Oh Yoon-jung said. “It’s become a hobby.” Not just a trend — a strategy

For offline retailers, pop-ups have been a lifeline — and a lesson. They’ve shown that experience still holds value in a retail world ruled by algorithms.

Cosmetics powerhouse Amorepacific, for instance, cut back its Aritaum chain during the pandemic but opened a large flagship experience store in Seongsu.

Called “Amore Seongsu,” the location transforms each month into a different brand pop-up, from Hera to IOPE.

Visitors can sample products, snap photos and walk away with coupons — or purchases.

Sensing an opportunity, Hyundai Department Store leaned into the trend at The Hyundai Seoul, making pop-ups a centerpiece of the store’s design.

Last year, about 600 pop-up stores opened there, contributing to 10 percent of the store’s 1.99 trillion won in annual revenue.

Some did more than just draw crowds. A two-week “Isedol Popupbwat?” event made 3.8 billion won — more than the annual revenue of some permanent fashion stores. Opportunities and trade-offs

Pop-ups also offer small brands a low-risk way to test the waters.

Fruit drink brand Oakberry saw strong responses to its The Hyundai Seoul pop-up and now has 31 permanent stores. Beauty brand Ppuhi gained enough traction at pop-ups to open its own flagship location in Seongsu.

But the boom has downsides. In Seongsu, longtime businesses are getting pushed out as rents soar.

A hardware store owner who had operated for 20 years said they were forced to relocate when their building was demolished for pop-up retail space.

“Rents have jumped tenfold in three years,” a realtor said. “It’s unaffordable for many small business owners.”

Established brands with long-term leases at department stores also feel uneasy.

With more pop-ups taking prime floor space, some worry they’ll be pushed aside.

“We’re guaranteed at least two years now, but there’s always a concern that an underperforming store might be replaced under the guise of a new concept,” one fashion brand representative said. What’s next?

Despite the backlash, the pop-up trend shows no sign of cooling — rather, it is evolving.

Some permanent stores now function as revolving pop-up stages, featuring new themes and products each month.

LG Electronics recently opened a Playmobil-themed pop-up inside its Best Shop chain and a separate one in Seongsu built around its lifestyle community platform, Lifezip.

LG Electronics announced on July 13 that it opened a pop-up store called “Lifezip Housewarming” in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong District, eastern Seoul, on July 11. [NEWS1]

The future? Retail spaces as media platforms, filled with content and designed for discovery.

Experts note that pop-ups empower small or niche brands to create scarcity and demand.

“If you can only touch or taste a product at a specific time and place, it makes people want it more,” said Yang Soo-jin, a consumer studies professor at Sungshin Women’s University.

Pop-ups, once seen as novelties, now seem like necessities — not only for younger shoppers, but increasingly for older ones too.

A survey by Embrain Trend Monitor found that nearly half of respondents in their 40s and 50s had visited a pop-up.

Pop-up enjoyment transcends demographics, said Project Rent CEO Choi Won-seok, explaining that “retail is becoming entertainment."

But as the field grows crowded, quality may matter more than quantity.

LG Electronics announced on July 13 that it opened a pop-up store called “Lifezip Housewarming” in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong District, eastern Seoul on July 11. [NEWS1]

“These days, small brands with unique pop-ups are often more popular than the flashy ones from big companies,” said Lee Jong-woo, a business professor at Ajou University. “Without a strong fandom, like those for celebrities or intellectual property merchandise, it has become harder to guarantee the success of a pop-up store.”

For brands, it may no longer be about how many people showed up — but whether the right ones did.

“For companies running pop-up stores, what matters more than how many people visit is how many from the target demographic they attract," a fashion industry insider said. “Rather than going big on scale or discounts to chase popularity, more pop-ups will focus on delivering differentiated customer experiences.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff. BY KIM KYUNG-MI,NOH YU-RIM [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]