A historic city situated only a two-hour drive south from Seoul, Cheongju has equally benefitted from South Korea’s boisterous economic growth these past two decades. Similar to leading cities nationwide, Cheongju boasts a well-developed and diversified shopping landscape that meets the requirements of its savvy dwellers, and given the fact that this is a mature consumer market with an experimental edge, ongoing changes are implemented here as well. Only recently, the Hyundai department store chain introduced here a new department store concept—Connect Hyundai. Targeting specifically Millennial and Gen Z demographics, the retail concept is one that’s infused with experiential entertainment which aims to resonate with the sensibilities of these young shoppers. The department store occupies no less than 29,755 sqm. (320,280 sq.ft.) set across five floors, featuring an interior design by Betwin Space, an acclaimed design practice based in Seoul. As the location is connected to a major transit terminal, the settings aim to redesigning the mundane while discovering new sensations through juxtaposition.

A raw concrete framework forms the backdrop for urban materials which emerge with sensory clarity, offering shoppers an elevated shopping experience. The design concept, dubbed Daytrip Ground, unfolds differently on each floor, anchored by the central void. On the ground floor, the void plaza becomes a meeting and relaxation place surrounded by the dynamic of people shopping or going up and down the escalators. Also to be found on the ground floor is an open food & beverage space reminiscent of an urban terrace. Here, shoppers discover tenants nestled beneath a variety of eaves and a translucent, and beyond them, an intimate courtyard terrace unfolds. A diverse arrangement of seating creates a sense of comfort and warmth for dining. On the first floor, so-called Strollers Lane creates a natural sense of immersion and guides shoppers through curated zones with shade structures on the ceiling that drift like a promenade. The second floor is home to Hype Village, a hipster alleyway reinterpreted through industrial materials. Box structures that open and close, zigzagging pathways, and a bridge spanning the void intersect to deliver a rhythmic spatial experience. One floor up, on the third, Urban Street eagerly awaits shoppers.

Set up as a new outdoor city created through linear circulation, it’s reinterpreted industrial materials, and contrasts in atmosphere. Straight lines divide the entire space while maintaining a connected sense of territory centred on the void. Landscaping around the void, streetlamp elements, and floor patterns reinforce the outdoor feel, allowing visitors to experience dramatically shifting atmospheres as they move along. Connect Hyundai‘s fourth floor houses Playful Ground, a kids’ utopia consisting of children’s and family-oriented retail. Here, various signature zones extend from lines radiating out from the void, articulated in geometric language, with three-dimensional forms unfolding in each area. Beginning with a pergola-like sculptural gateway at the escalator, the geometric vocabulary of the pop-up zones translates into voluminous ceiling structures, while the main feature zone is defined by mirror-clad sculptural forms filled with play and imagination. Connect Hyundai stocks more than 180 curated brands, while on the hospitality front, a wide range of special concepts have been selected to match the shopping vibe. © superfuture