Samsung Gangnam takes aim at Apple Store to lure MZers

Apple Inc., the world’s leading premium smartphone maker, opened its latest South Korean flagship store in the bustling neighborhood of Gangnam in March. Now Samsung Electronics Co. is fighting back with its own stylish store just a 10-minute walk from the Apple Store.

The Korean tech giant on Thursday opened Samsung Gangnam, an ambitious experience zone for its consumers, particularly targeting young people, or Generation MZers – a demographic comprising millennials and members of Generation Z.

Located near the Gangnam subway station in southern Seoul, Samsung Gangnam boasts 2,000 square-meter floor space, allowing visitors to experience and purchase the company’s latest mobile devices and their limited editions as well as join cultural and self-enrichment programs.

Calling it “a playground for Generation MZ,” Samsung expects the flagship store to become a place where young people have fun and enjoy interactive experiences with what Samsung has to offer.

“Gangnam has always been a place brimming with young people,” said Jung Ho-jin, vice president and head of Samsung’s mobile experience team, during a media event on Wednesday. “We hope Samsung Gangnam will be a resting place for them.”

HUG BEAR, CENTER COFFEE AND NIGHTOGRAPHY

Greeting visitors at the entrance of the five-story building is a large bear sculpture, the Hug Bear, designed by pop artist Im Ji-bin, next to stained-glass-decorated photo zones and benches.

On the second floor, a vast variety of Samsung’s mobile devices, from smartphones and tablets to wearable gadgets, are on display.

At night, people can take Instagrammable photo shots using the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s Nightography function.

On the third floor, there is a Bespoke Home Meta zone where consumers can experience TVs and virtual reality (VR) devices. There is also a Coffee Center where consumers can capture images of their coffee with a Samsung smartphone.

The fourth floor houses a large 600-inch 8K screen where visitors can enjoy various media arts.

The basement floor is dedicated to after-sales services.

TO COUNTER APPLE IN SEOUL

Samsung Gangnam, about 500 meters away from Apple’s flagship store, comes as the Korean company, the world’s largest smartphone maker by volume, is losing young consumers to its archrival Apple.

According to a recent survey, more than half of young Koreans aged between 18 and 29 have Apple’s iPhone.

The US company is aggressively targeting the Korean market, having opened three flagship stores in Seoul between last year and this year and recently launching the simple payment app Apple Pay.

The Gangnam area is not just for young consumers but is also home to most of the world’s top companies operating in the country. Many luxury brands have flagship retail stores there.

Gangnam became a household name globally in 2012 thanks to singer and rapper Psy’s K-pop hit “Gangnam Style.”

Write to Ye-Rin Choi at rambutan@hankyung.com
In-Soo Nam edited this article.