Gyeongju Geumridan-gil Pop-up Stores Prove Their Competitiveness on the National Stage

Wins in Two Categories at the Korea Pop-up Store Awards... Food and High Impact
Achievement of Attracting 5,000 Visitors... Effective Strategy for Revitalizing Stay-Type Commercial Districts

Gyeongju City announced on the 26th that the pop-up stores operated around Geumridan-gil in October last year were selected as winners in various categories at the 2025 Korea Pop-up Store Awards, thereby externally demonstrating their achievements in revitalizing the local commercial district.

Now in its third year, the Korea Pop-up Store Awards is co-hosted by Popfully and MadTimes. It selects winners from among pop-up stores operated throughout the year by comprehensively evaluating data analysis (such as the number of visitors and the volume of mentions on social media), consumer voting, and expert reviews.

Visitors waiting to enter the Perikana pop-up store. Provided by Gyeongju City

At this year’s awards, the Pelicana Time Travel Pop-up Store was selected as the winner in the Food category, while the Myeongrang Hot Dog X Kungya Restaurants Collaboration Pop-up in Gyeongju Geumridan-gil was named the winner in the High Impact category.

These pop-up stores were planned and operated as part of the Gyeongju Central Commercial District Renaissance Project, which has been promoted since 2022. They are being evaluated as a successful case of boosting visitor demand to Geumridan-gil and enhancing the competitiveness of the commercial district by incorporating the latest consumption trends, which are centered on the Seoul metropolitan area, into the local market.

During the operation period, approximately 5,000 visitors came to Geumridan-gil, generating demand for stay-type tourism. Participating brands also donated part of their profits in the form of goods to the local community, adding significance by realizing the value of mutual growth.

Gyeongju Mayor Joo Nakyoung said, “This award is a result of the external recognition of the competitiveness of Gyeongju as a tourist city and the growth potential of the Geumridan-gil commercial district,” adding, “We will continue to discover diverse content that grows together with the local commercial districts.”