Up to 9-Day Seollal Holiday... Complete Guide to Department Store, Mart, and Shopping Mall Closures

Check Store Closures Before Holiday Shopping Outings
Department Stores to Close for Two Days During the Holiday
Many Large Supermarkets Closed on Mandatory Closing Days and Lunar New Year
Outlets to Operate Flexible Business Hours

The longest Lunar New Year holiday lasts up to 9 days. It is expected that more people will plan shopping outings to department stores, shopping malls, and large supermarkets to prepare ritual items or holiday gifts. Since some stores nationwide will either be closed or have shortened business hours on certain days during the holiday period, it is advisable to check in advance whether stores will be closed.

Lotte Department Store Jamsil Main Building. Provided by Lotte Department Store

According to the distribution industry on the 25th, Lotte Department Store, Shinsegae Department Store, and Hyundai Department Store will each close for two days at different stores during the holiday period. Lotte Department Store will close 29 stores including the Main Store, Jamsil Store, Pyeongchon Store, Incheon Store, Dongtan Store, Gimpo Airport Store, and Nowon Store on the first day of the Lunar New Year holiday and on the holiday itself, January 28-29. The remaining two stores, Bundang Store and Centum City Store, will be closed on the holiday and the following day, January 29-30.

Shinsegae Department Store will close 11 stores including Gangnam Store, Times Square Store, South City, Centum City Store, Daegu Shinsegae, Daejeon Shinsegae Art & Science, Masan Store, Gimhae Store, Gwangju Shinsegae, Uijeongbu Store, and Cheonan Asan Store on January 28-29. The Shinsegae Main Store will be closed on the holiday, January 29, and the following day, January 30, while Hanam Store will be closed only on January 29.

Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam Branch. Provided by Shinsegae Department Store

Hyundai Department Store will close 10 stores including Trade Center Store, Cheonho Store, Mokdong Store, Jungdong Store, Kintex Store, Pangyo Store, The Hyundai Seoul, The Hyundai Daegu, Ulsan Store, and Chungcheong Store on January 28-29. Apgujeong Main Store, Sinchon Store, Mia Store, D-Cube City, and Ulsan Dong-gu Store will be closed on January 29-30.

The Hyundai Seoul, Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang

Many large supermarkets will be closed on the holiday, January 29, and on the mandatory closing day, the fourth Sunday of the month, January 26.

Emart will close 71 out of its 132 stores nationwide on the mandatory closing day, January 26. Eight Traders stores will also be closed on that day. According to local government agreements, 44 stores that have designated the fourth Wednesday as a mandatory closing day will postpone their closure from January 22 to January 29. On the same day, 10 Traders stores will also be closed. Additionally, Jeju Seogwipo Store will be closed on January 25, 11 stores in Daegu and Busan will be closed on January 27, and three Traders stores in Daegu and Busan will also be closed on that day.

Lotte Mart will close 31 stores including Jetplex Seoul Station Store and Uiwang Store on the holiday, January 29, while all other stores will observe their regular closing days.

Homeplus will close 21 stores on January 29. Fourteen stores that were originally closed on January 22, including Dongdaemun, Kintex, Goyang Terminal, and Ilsan, have changed their holiday to January 29. Five stores including Hwaseong Hyangnam, Hwaseong Dongtan, Byeongjeom, Ansan Gojan, and Ansan Seonbu have changed their closing day from January 26 to the holiday. Busan Dongnae Store and Jangnim Store have changed their closing day from January 27 to January 29. The remaining 72 stores will close on the mandatory closing day, January 26.

Citizens are shopping at a large supermarket in downtown Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

Outlets will operate flexible business hours during the Lunar New Year holiday. Lotte will operate six premium outlets?Gimhae Store, Dongbusan Store, Paju Store, Icheon Store, Giheung Store, and Uiwang Store?and two suburban outlets?Ishiapolis Store and Buyeo Store?from 12 PM to 9 PM on January 29. However, only brands that wish to operate on the holiday will be open. All other outlets will be closed on the holiday.

Hyundai City Outlet will close Dongdaemun Store, Gasan Store, Garden Five, Daegu Store, and Connect Hyundai Busan on January 29, while four Hyundai Premium Outlets (Gimpo Store, Songdo Store, Daejeon Store, and Space One) will open from 12 PM on January 29. Shinsegae Simon will operate normally at all five stores in Yeoju, Paju, Busan, Siheung, and Jeju.