S.Korea’s Dongdaemun fashion district shows revival post-COVID-19

Doosan Tower, the most visible shopping mall in the Dongdaemun fashion market, is finally making a comeback. The number of foreign visitors seeking the shopping district has been on the rise as the COVID-19 pandemic receded.

According to Doosan Corp. on Thursday, the sales from foreigners' volume at the Doosan Tower Mall in April amounted to 2.62 billion won ($1.97 million). This represents a 34% increase compared to March ($1.47 million). Compared to the same month last year ($594,000), it has increased by 234%.

The upward trend in sales volume at Doosan Tower is expected to continue. According to the recent plans for increasing flights announced by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, flights from Japan, China and Southeast Asia to South Korea are expected to recover to 92%, 87% and 90% levels, respectively, compared to before the COVID-19 outbreak.

"The recent increase in foreign visitors is a result of the relaxation of COVID-19 quarantine measures," an official from Doosan Corp. said. "With the steady increase in flights, sales in the shopping mall will continue to rise."

Marketing efforts to attract more shoppers have also been underway. Doosan Corp., which runs the Doosan Tower mall, is sponsoring an event called "Dongdaemun Super Pass," where a discount coupon book that can be used at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), Hyundai City Outlet Dongdaemun and other locations is sold online until May 31.

Since April, Doosan Tower Plaza has been hosting events such as "farmers market with a face," where local governments and small business owners collaborate to sell farm produce and processed goods, and "Seoul city farmers market," where over 60 cities and counties and over 100 farms participate in selling agricultural and fishery products once a month.

In addition, the plaza is running a unique wine experience space targeting young generation shoppers in collaboration with popular brands such as A Twosome Place and Under Armour.

"We will discover various cultural and shopping contents that can satisfy not only foreign tourists but also domestic shoppers and contribute to the revitalization of the Dongdaemun shopping district," a Doosan Corp. official said.

Write to Ji-Yoon Yang at yang@hankyung.com