SOUTH KOREA. Shinsegae Duty Free has soft opened a traditional handicraft art centre in the MESA building adjacent to the retailer’s new duty free store in Myeong-dong, Seoul.
The centre is designed to promote Korean culture and attract more tourists to Myeong-dong, a prime shopping zone but one that lacks a cultural presence.
The official opening will take place on 15 December. Shinsegae Duty Free Merchandising Team Director Seok-Ho Hong told The Moodie Davitt Report: “[Before we won our licence] we made a commitment to the public that Shinsegae Duty Free would create space to promote Korean culture and establish a tourist attraction in this area to draw FIT travellers who are seeking not only shopping but also to experience Korean culture.”
The centre is called ‘Han Soo’ (literally ‘Korean hands’), a nice evocation of its role in exhibiting and selling Korean artisans’ handicrafts.
The product range includes pottery, furniture and general handicrafts.
