Lotte Department Store will light up main Myeong-dong branch in purple on the evening of March 19 to 22. Courtesy of Lotte Department Store
Major offline retailers in Seoul are redecorating stores and ensuring stocks of popular items as BTS gets ready to take center stage in Gwanghwamun next week for a concert expected to draw massive crowds.
Department stores are redesigning shopping areas and building new themed spaces to attract global fans visiting the city for the March 21 concert. Convenience store chains across Seoul are also preparing for a surge in sales.
Lotte Department Store will illuminate its main branch buildings in Myeong-dong, including the luxury-focused Avenuel wing, in the purple color associated with the K-pop group from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. from Thursday through Sunday.
The retailer will also host a K-Wave Shopping Week promotion from March 19 to 29 at its main branch, its Jamsil branch and at Lotte Outlets at Seoul Station. During the event, stores will be decorated with BTS- and K-pop-themed displays and feature special products labeled “Korea Only.”
The Myeong-dong branch will also operate a K-Gift Curation Space at the Food Hall on the first basement floor, showcasing representative Korean gifts, including kimchi.
“With a significant increase in visits to Seoul by K-pop fans expected this month, we have prepared lighting displays and shopping promotions in the heart of Myeong-dong’s commercial district,” Lotte Department Store marketing head Park Sang-woo said. “We aim to provide foreign customers with differentiated shopping content and events unique to Seoul.”
The Heritage Museum at Shinsegae Department Store’s main branch in Myeong-dong will host a BTS pop-up store from March 20 to April 12. Courtesy of Shinsegae Department Store
Shinsegae Department Store, another major retailer based in the Myeong-dong area, has secured an exclusive partnership with BTS’ management agency HYBE to launch a pop-up store at its main branch.
The pop-up, celebrating the band’s fifth full-length album, “Arirang,” will open March 20 and run through April 12. It will be located at the Heritage Museum on the fourth floor, occupying a 413-square-meter space.
“We have prepared a special pop-up store in line with the global event of BTS’ full-group comeback,” a Shinsegae Department Store official said. “Shinsegae will continue to position itself as a global landmark that combines shopping with culture and experiences.”
Shinsegae Duty Free’s Myeong-dong store in January began marketing tied to the BTS concert by opening a K-Wave Zone dedicated to BTS merchandise.
The company said the band’s activities have a direct impact on sales. In May 2025, when anticipation for BTS’ comeback peaked after five members completed their mandatory military service, sales of BTS-related goods at the store jumped 285 percent from the previous month.
Hyundai Department Store will partner with overseas online travel agencies to provide vouchers to visitors at its flagship shopping complex, The Hyundai Seoul in Yeouido, next week.
Its KINTEX branch in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, where BTS will hold three days of concerts next month, will also distribute discount coupons to visitors.
BGF Retail, which operates CU convenience stores nationwide, is preparing key stores around Gwanghwamun and other tourist hotspots to accommodate a large influx of foreign customers.
The company has designated CU stores in and around Gwanghwamun as “Section A” and increased inventory at those locations to about 100 times the usual level.
“Section B” includes stores across Myeong-dong, Hongdae and other major tourism districts with large hotels and shopping centers. These stores will also provide shopping leaflets in Chinese and Vietnamese.
GS25, another major convenience store brand operated by GS Retail, is promoting IGIN, a distilled liquor brand co-founded by BTS member Jin.
GS25, the exclusive distributor of the brand, plans to prominently display IGIN products to attract visitors.
The brand was launched by Jini’s Lamp, a company jointly established by Jin and food franchise entrepreneur Paik Jong-won, who heads Theborn Korea.