Star Avenue was first launched in 2009.

Lotte Duty Free has completed a full renovation of its Star Avenue cultural space at its Myeongdong flagship store, reopening the attraction with a renewed focus on immersive K-content experiences aimed at international visitors.

Located on the first floor of the Jung-gu store, Star Avenue was first launched in 2009 as an experiential platform designed to showcase Korean popular culture to overseas travellers. Before the pandemic, the space attracted around 2.9 million visitors annually and established itself as a must-visit destination for foreign tourists in Seoul. The latest refurbishment reflects Lotte Duty Free’s ambition to reposition Star Avenue for today’s global traveller, with experiential content placed firmly at the centre.

The four-month renovation introduces a new concept titled Starium – a combination of “star” and “-ium”, meaning space – designed as an immersive environment where stars and fans meet. The concept responds to growing inbound demand for K-content and cultural discovery, significantly expanding the scale and impact of experiential elements compared with the previous format.

The renewed Star Avenue is organised into three distinct zones. The High-Five Zone, positioned at the entrance, features handprints of Lotte Duty Free’s promotional models and remains one of the most popular photo spots for overseas visitors. A mirrored area has been added to cater to social media-driven travellers.

Beyond this, a large tunnel-style LED media wall measuring 23.5 metres wide and 4.25 metres high delivers high-impact visual content, including K-pop-themed programming and brand films. Signature content plays every 15 minutes, recreating the atmosphere of a live concert, supported by dedicated photo points.

Opposite the media wall, the Experience Zone offers eight interactive areas featuring games and digital content. Visitors can take part in activities such as claw-machine-style games or card selections by scanning QR codes, with prizes including duty-free shopping benefits.

Commenting on the relaunch, Namkoong Pyo, Head of Marketing at Lotte Duty Free, said: “We have completely renewed Star Avenue to offer visitors to Myeongdong a more diverse and immersive K-content experience. We will continue to introduce differentiated marketing initiatives throughout the year to attract both domestic and international customers.”

There are eight interactive areas featuring games and digital content.

Alongside the reopening, Lotte Duty Free has appointed boy group KickFlip and girl group Hearts2Hearts as new promotional models, with further K-content-led campaigns planned to strengthen engagement with global shoppers.

To mark the relaunch, Lotte Duty Free has introduced a series of promotional activities designed to drive participation and footfall. Until 12 February, customers who take part in games within the Star Avenue experience zone will be entered into a prize draw, with rewards including a personal photoshoot package covering studio, hair and makeup services, Golden Goose trainers, a Stonehenge necklace and aquarium admission tickets.

Much of the design is driven by social media.

In addition, during the promotional period, shoppers spending more than US$100 at Lotte Duty Free’s Myeongdong Main Store or World Tower Store will receive a Star Avenue-branded luggage name tag on a first-come, first-served basis. Further incentives run until 18 January, with customers who take a photo at the Star Avenue entrance and share it on social media receiving LDF PAY credit worth ₩10,000.

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