Korean hospitality industry embraces retail food, technology to enhance guest experiences

Five-star hotels in Korea are rethinking what it means to be luxury, branching into retail food, robotics and live entertainment as a surge in independent travelers reshapes demand.

Kimchi products from Josun Hotels & Resorts [JOSUN HOTELS & RESORTS]

Five-star hotels in Korea are rethinking what it means to be luxury, branching into retail food, robotics and live entertainment as a surge in independent travelers reshapes demand.

“Among both foreign tourists and domestic consumers, the ‘hotel hopping’ trend, where people experience multiple unique spaces rather than staying in one hotel, is spreading,” said Jung Yeon-sung, a business professor at Dankook University. “This is a time when luxury hotels need to diversify their revenue structures."

One of the most visible changes is in food businesses. Major hotels are lowering their barriers to entry by offering accessible products such as kimchi and home meal replacements, moving away from their longstanding image as spaces reserved for the affluent.

Josun Hotels & Resorts has expanded its ready-to-eat meal business under its “Josun Hotel Kimchi” brand, offering Chinese, Japanese and Korean dishes that can be easily cooked at home. After entering domestic convenience stores and home shopping channels, the company has also moved into overseas markets. The products began their sales in the United States in February and plan to expand to department stores in Tokyo in May and Osaka in June.

Lotte Hotel & Resorts has also been selling “Lotte Hotel Kimchi” through home shopping networks and convenience stores since the beginning of the year, focused on building an image of easy accessibility. Sales of its kimchi products rose 42 percent on year in 2025.

“The kimchi and ready meal business itself is relatively small and does not significantly impact overall earnings,” an industry source who requested anonymity said. “But it creates an experience where consumers who try hotel-branded food may later become hotel guests.”

A humanoid robot pours milk. [LOTTE HOTEL]

Hotels are also turning to robotics and AI.

Lotte Hotels & Resorts is currently training humanoid robots to fold linens and transport items such as dishes. The company is participating in a government-led humanoid development project — the first in the domestic hotel industry — to build and test robots optimized for hotel environments.

Walkerhill Hotels & Resorts has gone further with AI, introducing a ChatGPT-based “Walkerhill AI Guide,” now used by more than one-third of its guests. The service provides real-time information on hotel facilities, events, walking routes and personalized activity recommendations.

Paradise City hotel is differentiating itself through entertainment. On April 18, it hosted an outdoor concert by British hard rock band Deep Purple. The hotel plans to launch the “Asian Pop Festival” next month through the Paradise Foundation, bringing together artists from across Asia.

“We expect a synergy effect where visitors who come for performances also stay overnight or use other facilities,” a Paradise City employee said.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY CHOI HYUN-JU [lee.jiwon10@joongang.co.kr]