Indoor Fun? Spotlight on 'Rakmong,' an Interactive Family Entertainment Mall for Experiencing with Kids

- Doktan Lake Park Lacmong with Korea's leading indoor zoo 'Jureong Jureong' attracts weekend family customers
- World's first experience-focused theme park 'Discovery Indoor Park' also scheduled to open

Recently, commercial facilities catering to family visitors have become popular. Complex shopping malls are emerging where visitors can experience not only shopping but also culture, relaxation, and entertainment with children, family, friends, or couples.

In particular, commercial facilities in the kids' sector have established themselves as strong key tenants. When kids-targeted businesses are well developed, families visit every weekend, allowing children to enjoy kids' facilities while parents conveniently enjoy dining, shopping, and cultural activities all in one place. As the length of stay increases, natural derivative consumption occurs, which enhances the overall spending power of the shopping area and actively revitalizes the commercial district.

In fact, “Starfield City Wirye,” which opened in December 2018 by combining the strengths of Emart Town and Starfield, attracts an average of 18,000 visitors on weekdays and about 30,000 on weekends. This is 2 to 3 times more than a similar-sized Emart Town, which averages 8,000 visitors on weekdays and about 10,000 on weekends. The average length of stay is also about 2 hours and 40 minutes, more than twice the 1 hour and 7 minutes average of large supermarkets in Seoul. Customer response to kids' facilities was particularly high; the spring semester academy that started last January received 4,500 applications within an hour, marking the highest registration among Emart cultural centers on the same day.

According to real estate officials, “Recently, commercial facilities with well-developed kids' sectors attract the whole family, increasing the overall spending power of the commercial facility,” and “Because parents who bring their children tend to revisit frequently, stable returns can be expected when investing in such commercial properties.”

In Dongtan New City, “Dongtan Hosu Park Lacmong,” which will become a new landmark in front of Dongtan Hosu Park, is being established. “Lacmong” is an experiential family entertainment mall located right in front of Dongtan Hosu Park (Block 8, Cultural Complex Land, Dongtan 2 New City).

“Lacmong” will feature experiential facilities that children and parents can enjoy together, including the indoor animal theme park “Jureong Jureong,” which will open on a scale larger than its branches in Ilsan, Hanam, Gyeongju, and Seoul Yeongdeungpo. Jureong Jureong is popular as an indoor date spot and is also considered a great place for parents to bring their children. A major advantage is that visitors can see animals regardless of the season.

Additionally, the ultra-large family tenant zone has signed the country's first lease agreement with “Discovery Indoor Park.” There are also plans for workshops, cultural centers, and a 148-seat performance hall for local residents, making it an experiential family entertainment mall with differentiated key tenants compared to other commercial facilities.

The commercial facility spans from three basement floors to five above-ground floors, with a total floor area of 60,893 square meters. To naturally attract people who walk or exercise in Dongtan Hosu Park, a walking entrance will be created on the first basement floor. Various events linking the sunken plaza in the basement, the central plaza on the first floor, and Dongtan Hosu Park will also be held. Specialized stores with large terraces will offer openness and views toward the lake park.

The model house is located at 182 Dongtan-daero, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, and the opening is scheduled for December 2021.