[Report] Only 700m from Samsung... 'Apple Gangnam' Captivates Attention with 'NewJeans'

Following Apple Pay Launch, 'Apple Gangnam' Opens on the 31st
Featuring NewJeans and Audio-Specialized Content

Apple will open its fifth Apple Store in Korea, 'Apple Gangnam,' in the heart of Gangnam-daero on the 31st, accelerating its push into the Korean market. Following the recent launch of Apple Pay services, the company is rapidly expanding its presence.

On the 29th, Apple held a pre-opening event for the media to showcase 'Apple Gangnam.'

Apple Gangnam exterior.
Photo by Oh Su-yeon

The store's exterior features a sophisticated double-height facade design. With gradient colors and mirror coating, the top and bottom appear seamlessly connected without visible boundaries. The appearance changes with the time of day and seasons. Although it is not officially open yet, passersby have shown interest by taking photos of the store early in the morning or peering inside through the glass windows.

The size of Apple Gangnam is smaller than the Myeongdong store but larger than the Jamsil store. Over 150 employees fluent in various languages including English, Japanese, Chinese, Thai, and French are stationed to assist customers in experiencing the latest products such as the iPhone 14 series. They also provide support for using the recently launched Apple Pay service.

Apple has been rapidly increasing its domestic stores to expand customer touchpoints. Starting with the Garosu-gil store in 2018, Apple now has five stores in Korea. Last year, it opened stores in Myeongdong and Jamsil consecutively, and this year it is expanding with the Gangnam store. It is also reported that a store will open in Hongdae, which will bring the total number of stores in Seoul to six. This surpasses Tokyo, Japan, which is considered Apple's stronghold with five stores.

Notably, Apple Gangnam is located about 700 meters in a straight line from Samsung Electronics’ Seocho headquarters. Apple is launching its Korean market strategy right in front of Samsung Electronics. According to Counterpoint Research, Apple’s market share in Korea was 34% in the fourth quarter of last year, while Samsung held 63%.

Apple Gangnam NewJeans Popup Studio
Photo by Oh Suyeon

Since the area attracts many young people, Apple Gangnam partnered with the popular girl group NewJeans. While the fourth store, Apple Jamsil, emphasized drawing, Apple Gangnam focuses on sound with NewJeans to offer specialized content. This shows Apple’s dedication to the Korean market. Starting April 1, every Friday and Saturday from 5 PM to 7 PM, visitors can listen to NewJeans’ single "OMG (Apple Music Edition)" during a listening session. This track is exclusive to Apple Music. Spatial audio refers to an immersive audio environment where music is heard three-dimensionally from all directions around the listener’s head. Wearing AirPods Max and listening to NewJeans’ "OMG" in spatial audio made it feel as if the members were singing right next to the ears, providing a vivid and rich musical experience.

Additionally, various Today at Apple sessions are offered, such as Getting Started with Mac, Getting Started with GarageBand, and Sketching Ideas with the Notes app. I also experienced the Getting Started with GarageBand session, where I was able to create impressive music simply by operating the app easily. Apple Gangnam will officially open at 5 PM on Friday the 31st. Visits on the opening day are available by advance reservation only.

Patrick Shurp, Head of Apple Retail Asia, said, "Korean customers are very important to Apple. Especially Seoul is a city with a diverse and energetic developer community," adding, "Since opening the first Apple Store five years ago, we have received enthusiastic responses from customers."

Apple Gangnam Store exterior.
Photo by Apple