Hyundai Department Store announced on the 19th that it will open its first regular store of 'The Hyundai Global' in Tokyo, Japan, on September 19. This marks the first operation of a regular store by a Korean department store in Japan, and it is expected to accelerate the overseas expansion of The Hyundai Global, a platform for exporting Korean brands.

Hyundai Department Store will open its first store on the 4th floor of the Shibuya Parco branch in Tokyo and plans to add a large flagship store on Omotesando shopping street in the first half of next year. Over the next five years, it plans to sequentially open a total of five stores in Japan.

The Hyundai Global is a business that supports the overseas expansion of Korean brands, with Hyundai Department Store handling product export and import, sales, and overseas retail negotiations. The aim is to reduce costs and risks for small and medium-sized brands and expand their sales channels. By transitioning from pop-up stores to regular stores, the company plans to establish a stable distribution network and brand image.

In May, Hyundai Department Store invested KRW 30 billion in MediQuarters, the operator of the Japanese fashion online mall 'NUGU.' With over one million subscribers, MediQuarters utilizes influencer marketing and retail networks for store space acquisition, operation, and digital marketing.

The first store at Shibuya Parco will operate on a rotation basis, changing brands every 1-2 months. The first brand is Trimmingbird, which gained attention after being worn by an idol, and will showcase products such as vintage-style wide pants until October 16. In the first half of next year, a 660㎡ (200 pyeong) flagship store will open in Omotesando. Omotesando is a fashion hub in Tokyo and a commercial area with active inflow of the 2030 generation. This store will carefully select and showcase about 10 Korean brands.

Hyundai Department Store's ability to source Korean brands has been noted in Japan. Last year, it introduced 23 brands at a pop-up store in Shibuya Parco, with 12 brands achieving sales of over KRW 100 million, and the top 5 brands averaging KRW 313 million. This performance surpasses that of mid-tier regular stores in Japanese department stores (monthly KRW 100-200 million).

Hyundai Department Store plans to expand its business to Taiwan and Hong Kong, starting with Japan. In Taiwan, it will operate pop-up stores in cooperation with local retail companies from October to December. Amidst the slowdown in domestic offline retail growth, the company established The Hyundai Global Team within its fashion division last May to find a breakthrough in global business.

A representative from Hyundai Department Store stated, "The Hyundai Global stores are an opportunity for the overseas growth of Korean brands and a chance to enhance the global distribution influence of Korean department stores. We will lead globalization with our sourcing capabilities and expertise."

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