Retailers have also jumped into group cheering events for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
As excitement has steadily grown since South Korea's first win against the Czech Republic on the 12th, many people are planning to cheer together even in the early hours.
In response, related companies are moving quickly to combine cheering and shopping.
Shinsegae Department Store said it will live-stream the matches against Mexico on the 19th and South Africa on the 25th on the giant screen at Shinsegae Square at its main branch. It will also set up cheering zones and interactive events for visitors.
The 1,300-square-meter media facade, Shinsegae Square, installed on the exterior wall of Shinsegae Department Store Main Branch, has become a global landmark for K-content by showcasing a range of content, including music videos by world-renowned K-pop artists.
As a result, foreign card spending at Shinsegae Department Store Main Branch this year has doubled from a year earlier.
Shinsegae Department Store will also roll out a variety of customer participation events alongside the match screenings. Customers who join the event through the Shinsegae Department Store app will receive a 5,000 won F&B coupon that can be used after the game. A roulette event will also offer prizes such as an Adidas premium match ball, dessert vouchers, a 50,000 won discount coupon for fashion items, and a 15,000 won discount coupon for cosmetics. In addition, the company plans to work with relevant authorities to deploy safety staff across the venue and manage viewing areas and on-site traffic systematically, creating a secure environment where customers can enjoy the cheering events with peace of mind.
Starfield will live-stream South Korea's group-stage matches at all of its locations together with JTBC, while COEX Mall and the Suwon branch will broadcast all 20 group-stage matches on large screens.
At the Hanam branch and IKEA Goyang, Yogibo pop-up stores and rental services will be set up in front of the giant media towers, allowing visitors to sit comfortably and watch the games.
At COEX Mall's Live Plaza, cheering kits will be handed out with Unilever on the day of the South Korea match. The venue will also feature a Dove pop-up decorated with a locker-room photo zone and a football zone, as well as JTBC's large soccer-ball experiential pop-up. The Suwon branch will use the open structure of Starfield Library Suwon, which spans the fourth through seventh floors, to install three large screens and provide a comfortable indoor cheering space with floor-by-floor viewing.
An industry official said, "Since most of the matches in this tournament are scheduled in the morning, 'connected malling' marketing, where people watch soccer in the morning and shop in the afternoon through group cheering events, is drawing attention."
Kim So-hyung, Sportschosun compact@sportschosun.com
