Hyundai Department Store Daegu Branch → The Hyundai Daegu, Reopens on the 16th with Renewal
Highlighting 'The Hyundai' Features... Store Area ↓ · Culture and Art Spaces ↑
Leading with MZ Content, Region's First Luxury Brands, and Local Restaurants
"Aiming to be Daegu and Gyeongbuk's 'Cultural and Shopping Landmark'"
[Asia Economy Reporter Yuri Kim] Hyundai Department Store Daegu Branch has completed a year-long renovation and reopened as 'The Hyundai Daegu' with a fresh new look. By creating an entire floor as a cultural and artistic plaza and positioning itself as a complex cultural space, it aims to establish itself as a 'shopping and cultural landmark' representing the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions, leveraging differentiated content such as the region's first luxury brands and local popular eateries.
Hyundai Department Store announced on the 15th that it will officially start operations on the 16th after renewing the Daegu branch in Jung-gu, Daegu, as The Hyundai Daegu. Choi Won-hyung, General Manager (Executive Director) of The Hyundai Daegu, said, "We will propose a trendy lifestyle to customers through differentiated cultural and artistic content and MDs (merchandising) that have never been seen in existing department stores. Instead of filling the store with products, we will provide open space design and unique experiences to make The Hyundai Daegu a 'hot place' visited by the MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z)."
The core content of The Hyundai Daegu is 'culture and art.' The total area of cultural and artistic facilities at The Hyundai Daegu is 5,047㎡ (approximately 1,530 pyeong), more than four times larger than before the renovation. Meanwhile, the retail space for product sales has been reduced by nearly 15% compared to before. Considering that retail space usually correlates with sales, this is a bold decision.
The entire 9th floor houses a 4,565㎡ (approximately 1,380 pyeong) complex cultural and artistic plaza called 'The Forum by Jaime Hayon.' This unique space was created in collaboration with world-renowned artist and industrial designer Jaime Hayon, marking the first time in the department store industry that an entire floor has been dedicated to a cultural and artistic space. The Forum consists of 'Cafe Walking Cup' designed directly by Jaime Hayon, an indoor plaza called 'Colosseum' where various performances and lectures are held, and an outdoor sculpture park called 'Gates Garden' featuring seven large sculptures up to 9 meters high. Additionally, 'The Forum Shop,' which sells goods designed by Jaime Hayon and exhibits the creative process of The Forum, and 'Greenhouse,' an indoor greenhouse-style customer lounge, are also included.
In the center of the 1st floor, known as the 'face of the department store,' 'The Square' has been established, covering 164㎡ (approximately 50 pyeong). The Square is a complex cultural and artistic curation space designed by 'BuddyFleck,' a world-class interior design group based in Canada, and will exhibit various artworks including the 17-meter-high large installation piece 'Arch Waterfall' by French installation artist Cyril Lancelin.
The 8th floor's 'CH 1985' is also a cultural and artistic space. CH 1985 is Hyundai Department Store's next-generation cultural center brand targeting the MZ generation, who value diverse cultural experiences. It plans to offer high-quality courses by inviting Michelin-star chefs, gardening experts, influencers, and others as instructors. On the 6th floor, a cultural space for children called 'Moka Plus' will open, hosting various art exhibitions and experiential activities centered around picture books.
The Hyundai Daegu sequentially opened specialized zones to enhance experience and expertise: a living specialty hall on the 6th and 7th floors in June, the MZ generation specialty hall 'Creative Ground' on the B2 floor and the food hall 'Tasty Daegu' on the B1 floor in August, and an overseas fashion specialty hall on the 1st and 2nd floors in December. The living specialty hall, occupying half of the 6th floor and the entire 7th floor, spans 5,611㎡ (approximately 1,700 pyeong) and has significantly strengthened imported furniture brands favored by the MZ generation, including Samsung and LG premium stores, Hyundai Department Store's curated living store 'H by H,' Danish premium furniture brands 'Tolv' and 'Muuto,' and Italian furniture brand 'Porada.'
On the B2 floor, the MZ generation specialty hall Creative Ground introduced offline stores of brands popular among the MZ generation online for the first time in the region, such as women's fashion brand 'Matang Kim,' lifestyle select shop 'Hotel The Ilma,' emotional convenience store 'Nice Weather,' and the offline store 'Igugallery' of online shopping mall 29CM. The B1 floor's Tasty Daegu food hall houses numerous local Daegu eateries like Samori Bunsik and Tiger Bread Shop. The 1st floor overseas fashion specialty hall opened with the largest luxury watch select shop in the commercial district, 'Time Valley,' and Italian luxury fashion brand 'Bottega Veneta' renewed to the largest scale in the region, while the 2nd floor welcomed 'Jil Sander' and 'Off-White' for the first time in the region.
Since the renovation, the living specialty hall's sales increased by 51.4% compared to the same period last year over three months. Sales on the B2 and B1 floors also rose by 55.9% and 104.7%, respectively, during the three months after reopening. New customers visiting The Hyundai Daegu for the first time from January to November this year increased by about 60% compared to last year. The number of customers in their 20s and 30s using The Hyundai Daegu from January to November this year jumped 61.8% compared to the same period last year, indicating a noticeable increase in MZ generation visitors since the renovation.
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