"Three-Month Membership at 1.5 Million Won" ... 'English Kids Cafe' Opening in Department Store

Small elite group with foreign teachers and play... Expecting effects of 'care + English education'

On the 4th, a child is participating in a program with foreign teachers at 'Kinder Mama The Signature' on the 2nd floor of Lotte Department Store Gimpo Airport Branch, located in Banghwa-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] English kids cafes for children under 10 are being established in department stores. Although the cost is not insignificant, ranging from 25,000 to 35,000 KRW per hour, it is gaining word-of-mouth popularity among young parents with strong purchasing power because it offers both childcare and learning benefits.

Large Children's English Cultural Spaces Inside Department Stores

Lotte Department Store recently announced on the 5th that the international play school brand 'Kindermama The Signature' has opened and started operating on the 2nd floor cultural hall of Gimpo Airport branch.

The 892㎡ (approximately 270 pyeong) space is divided into zones such as Play Zone, Book Reading Zone, Art & Gave Zone, English Tutoring Zone, and Yoga & Fitness Zone, offering experiential programs that allow children to naturally acquire English through play tailored to each theme. Especially popular is the small class size with a teacher-to-child ratio of less than 1 to 3, where children can participate in play classes with foreign teachers.

Kindermama The Signature operates as a membership program for children aged 4 to 9. Membership fees start at 1.5 million KRW for 3 months (50 hours), 2.5 million KRW for 6 months (100 hours), 4.4 million KRW for 12 months (150 hours), and 8 million KRW for 24 months (200 hours).

Lotte Department Store plans to introduce 'Sesame Street,' an edu-entertainment space where children can participate in various programs in English, at its Gyeonggi Dongtan branch opening in the second half of this year, covering 990㎡ (300 pyeong).

Department Stores Attract Customers... Parents Expect Natural English Exposure

Shinsegae Department Store has been operating English kids cafes at two locations, including the main store, since first launching the English kids club 'Promom Kinder' at Times Square branch at the end of 2019.

It is a space where children aged from 36 months up to 9 years can 'learn English while playing,' solving both education and childcare needs simultaneously. Promom Kinder also operates on a membership basis, allowing applications for desired periods such as 1.89 million KRW for 3 months (60 hours) and 3.36 million KRW for 6 months (120 hours).

Shinsegae Department Store plans to open an English kids cafe at its Uijeongbu branch, which opens this month.

Hyundai Department Store Chungcheong branch opened the English kids cafe 'Creville' on the 23rd of last month. Here, native teachers conduct classes such as picture book reading, art lessons, math and science through songs, board games, and physical education. Creville is also located at the Pangyo branch and the Premium Outlet Daejeon branch.

Creville usually charges 30,000 to 40,000 KRW for a 2-hour session and operates on a reservation basis, accepting memberships only in units of 10, 20, or 30 sessions. At Hyundai Department Store Seoul Cheonho branch and D-Cube City branch, Promom Kinder is currently operating.

The reason department stores are creating English kids cafes is to attract their main customer base, young couples, to offline stores. These customers prefer educational and play facilities that can simultaneously provide childcare and education during the same time.

A department store official explained, "Although the hourly fee is at least 5 to 6 times more expensive than regular kids cafes, parents can leave their children with peace of mind without watching over them. Especially, the opportunity to interact and engage in activities with native teachers and naturally be exposed to English is a key factor in its popularity."