The number of foreign tourists visiting Dongdaemun continues to rise.
According to data from the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), the number of foreign visitors to Euljiro-dong in Jung District reached 318,304 as of April this year, up 16.8% from a year earlier.
A survey by the Seoul Design Foundation also showed that annual card sales in the 'Dongdaemun Fashion Town Special Tourist Zone' rose by about 71.3 billion won, from 1.3778 trillion won in 2019 to 1.4491 trillion won in 2024.
Against this backdrop, Hyundai Outlet Dongdaemun, which marks its 10th anniversary this year, is preparing a makeover to become a hotspot for foreign tourists. For the first time since opening in 2016, it is moving ahead with a full-scale renovation that will bring in more than 60 new domestic and overseas brands in fashion, beauty and food.
From January to May this year, sales to foreign customers at Hyundai Outlet Dongdaemun jumped 122% from a year earlier, accounting for 23.7% of total sales. In particular, the share of sales from foreign customers has nearly tripled compared with 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The renovation will be carried out in stages through the end of the year across four floors, from the basement second floor food hall to the second floor. The total renovated area will reach about 14,800 square meters, or roughly twice the size of a soccer field.
The basement second floor food hall, set to open in September, will see the biggest changes. Spanning 4,595 square meters, it will be redesigned around an 'alley market' concept popular with foreign tourists. The floor will feature narrow pathways reminiscent of alleyways and a layered, irregular store layout. More than 30 well-known domestic and international F&B brands are expected to open there.
The basement first floor, which previously covered lifestyle categories such as fashion, beauty and travel, will be transformed into a 'K-fashion specialty zone' with more than half of its brands replaced by Korean fashion labels. On the second floor, Hyundai Home Shopping Network Corp.'s beauty select shop Coasis and a pharmacy-style health and beauty store, which has recently become a must-visit shopping stop for foreign tourists, will each open.
In particular, to cater to shoppers visiting Dongdaemun at night, the outlet will also introduce late-night stores. The rotating hot pot restaurant Yongga Hot Pot is scheduled to open on the basement first floor in October and is considering operating until midnight.
The outlet will also expand and open a 'global service lounge' on the basement first floor within the year, allowing customers to handle tax refunds and currency exchange in one place. It also plans to introduce kiosks exclusively for foreign visitors.
A Hyundai Department Store official said, "Dongdaemun is being re-evaluated not just as a shopping district, but as a stay-oriented tourist destination where visitors can experience everyday life in Korea, including DDP and Gwangjang Market." The official added, "As demand is expanding beyond Chinese tourists and daigong to global travelers of diverse nationalities, we will develop Hyundai Outlet Dongdaemun into one of Seoul's leading shopping destinations."
Kim So-hyeong, compact@sportschosun.com
