[Cheongchun Report] Enjoying It Short and Intense... The Store Where MZ Flock

'Popup Store' Operating for a Short Period
Establishing Itself as a 'Playground for the MZ Generation'
Fubao Popup Store Sales Reach 1 Billion Won

Recently, 'popup stores' have been gaining popularity among young people. A popup store refers to an offline store that operates for a short period. Initially, companies or brands that found it burdensome to open permanent stores often opened popup stores for short-term promotion. However, as the 2030 generation, who value unique experiences and scarcity, continued to visit, popup stores have recently emerged as a winning strategy in the distribution industry.

Everland Poobah Pop-up Store

The origin of popup stores dates back to 2002 when the large American discount retailer Target was unable to secure space for a new store and temporarily set up a store. The short-term rental store unexpectedly succeeded, prompting many companies to benchmark this model. In Korea, popup stores began to flourish in the 2010s. Although their popularity temporarily waned during the COVID-19 pandemic, after the endemic phase, consumers who value 'special experiences' and 'scarcity' flocked to popup stores, further boosting their popularity.

Popup stores have received particularly strong responses from the trend-sensitive MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z). On the 22nd, Embrain Trend Monitor, a market research firm, surveyed 1,000 men and women aged 19 to 59 nationwide. The results showed that 8 out of 10 respondents (75.6%) had visited a popup store. By age group, those in their 20s accounted for the highest proportion at 82.8%, followed by those in their 30s (81.6%), 40s (78.8%), and 50s (59.2%). Notably, 61.8% of people in their 20s and 58.8% in their 30s said they had deliberately visited a popup store.

The reason popup stores are attractive to young people is precisely because of the 'unique experiences' and 'certification culture.' Popup stores offer many experiential contents that are ideal for uploading on social networking services (SNS). Examples include photo zones or game zones set up in corners of popup stores. Additionally, spaces well decorated to match the brand's personality and trendy goods stimulate the MZ generation's desire to take certification photos.

From a corporate perspective, popup stores are advantageous. They can naturally enjoy promotional effects through consumers' SNS certifications. The popularity of popup stores often positively impacts corporate sales. For example, the 'Poobao Popup Store' held at The Hyundai Seoul last November attracted 20,000 visitors over two weeks, selling about 1 billion KRW worth (approximately 110,000 items) of goods. This popup store was a hot topic even before opening, with reservations selling out within five minutes. 'Poobao' is a giant panda born at Everland, affectionately called 'Pugongju' or 'Yongin Poo.'

Also, the YouTube animation 'Bbangbbang-i's Daily Life' popup store, held for two weeks starting from the 14th of last month, attracted 40,000 visitors. The maximum purchase amount per person was 1.7 million KRW, and the highest number of items purchased was 80.

Professor Eunhee Lee of Inha University's Department of Consumer Studies said, "The reason popup stores are popular among the 2030 generation is related to SNS," adding, "Popup stores are open for a limited time, so you must visit within the given period. This scarcity causes anxiety among the 2030 generation."

She continued, "Many consumers shop online, but online shopping has limitations and restrictions," and said, "Companies encourage consumers to have tangible offline experiences through popup stores. Ultimately, this positively influences consumers through online and offline linkage." However, Professor Lee noted, "Nowadays, many popup stores are emerging, and their methods and styles are similar," adding, "To sustain the popularity of popup stores, it is necessary to break away from uniform approaches."