'I beat 330-to-1 odds to meet him': Inside NH NongHyup Bank's pop-up in Seongsu-dong

NH NongHyup Bank launched its "NH Dream Bank" pop-up event Wednesday on Yeonmujang-gil in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, aiming squarely at the MZ generation. The venue drew massive crowds as fans who had opened an NH All-One Group Account — beating 330-to-1 odds — arrived hoping to meet the bank's advertising model, actor Park Ji-hoon.

The pop-up runs from June 19 through July 18 in Seongsu-dong. The four-floor venue features event zones built around key products: the NH All-One Group Account, the NH Travely Check Card issued by NH NongHyup Card, and the zgm (Jigeum) Save Check Card. Trendy character displays and a variety of game booths drew a steady stream of MZ generation visitors to the area.

The energy at the venue surged particularly that day, when Park Ji-hoon visited as part of a fan meeting tied to the NH All-One Group Account sign-up event. Dozens of fans had already lined up along the street outside the pop-up store before the event began.

The fan meeting drew 330 applicants for every available spot. Fans who made the cut gathered on the third-floor café space, where Park Ji-hoon worked as a barista for the day, personally preparing drinks and snacks for guests before the fan meeting moved to a separate area.

Most visitors at the venue were female fans. One woman in her 20s beamed as she said, "I'm such a devoted fan that I even traveled to his concert in Vietnam, so when I opened a group account and applied for the event, I couldn't believe I actually won — I got to meet my favorite actor in person."

The pop-up went beyond star-gazing, using a range of hands-on experiences to introduce NH NongHyup Bank's flagship financial products to the MZ generation in a natural setting. The two main products on show were the NH All-One Group Account and the check cards.

On the first floor, visitors can take a short survey called a "group chemistry test" to find out their social gathering personality type. After receiving their results, they can earn in-game currency at a game zone built around the concept of growing a group account balance with friends, and can also print a one-of-a-kind "group membership card" at a photo booth with fellow participants.

The second floor shone a spotlight on the two card products. A travel-themed corner introducing the Travely Card let visitors snap photos in front of a digital wall featuring destinations such as Bali and Santorini, and customize their own card plate design at a sticker zone. A passport cover customization zone was also set up to stoke the excitement of customers planning a trip abroad.

The booth showcased a limited-edition plate for the NH Travely Check Card designed by webtoon artist Gi An-84, featuring his signature witty illustrations and free-spirited aesthetic. The NH Travely Check Card settles and withdraws funds directly in local currency when used overseas, bypassing won conversion. It also comes with an auto top-up service that automatically converts and withdraws from a won account when the foreign currency balance runs low.

The recently launched zgm (Jigeum) Save Check Card also drew considerable interest. NH NongHyup Card developed the product to tap into the strong fandom of Park Ji-hoon — the bank's brand ambassador and an actor who joined the ranks of "10-million-ticket" stars for his role in "The King's Warden." The card offers a monthly discount of up to 6,000 won for customers who spend at least 500,000 won ($322) the previous month, and 3,000 won for those who spend at least 300,000 won. Discounts apply to online payments at 3 percent, café purchases at 4 percent, and health and beauty purchases at 4 percent. Depending on the previous month's spending tier (300,000 or 500,000 won), cardholders also receive a 5 percent discount on digital content — worth up to 2,000 won per month — along with complimentary access to airport lounges worldwide. The card comes in two designs: a "Photo" version featuring Park Ji-hoon's image, and a "Color" version using the official colors of his fan club.

After completing all the experiences, visitors reach a special bakery space on the third floor reserved for NH Group Account holders. Signature desserts and drinks were developed by chef Kwon Seong-jun — known as "Napoli Matfia" — who rose to fame on the TV show "Culinary Class Wars." The menu leans into NH's agricultural roots with rice-based creations including rice pudding, nurungji smoothie, bubble sikhye and rice cream latte, earning praise for giving the bank's identity a playful, witty expression.