Kangwon Land's 'Go Gil-dong' pop-up draws over 10,000 visitors in Hongdae

A pop-up store Kangwon Land set up in central Seoul to promote the leisure offerings of its integrated resort drew more than 10,000 cumulative visitors, with foot traffic rising from last year and strong interest confirmed among younger generations.

Kangwon Land said Tuesday that 10,528 people visited its "2026 Pop-up Store in Hongdae — Go Gil-dong's Unfamiliar Kangwon Land," held at Star Square in Hongdae, Mapo-gu, Seoul, from Oct. 3 to Oct. 11.

The event averaged about 1,170 visitors per day, up roughly 24 percent from the 941 daily average recorded at last year's pop-up store. Even on the final day, Oct. 11, 614 people showed up. Over the course of the event, the in-store "story verification" activity logged 4,185 cumulative entries, while 1,748 survey responses were collected.

Unlike a conventional exhibition, the pop-up was designed around hands-on content in which visitors completed a series of missions. Crowds turned out throughout the run, with queue numbers at the venue surpassing 350 at peak times.

Visitors got a taste of the resort's leisure facilities — including a water park and ski slope — through simulated experiences, and explored Kangwon Land's broader offerings by completing the Hi1 Top mission and touring the M650 coal-mine culture museum experience zone.

Interactive content and social media buzz both drove attendance. A survey found that more than 50 percent of visitors learned about the event through social media or word-of-mouth recommendations.

Kim Young-ho, head of Kangwon Land's public relations division, said that despite each experience taking about 20 minutes to complete, large numbers of visitors came out and spontaneously shared reviews on social media, confirming strong interest from younger generations. "Going forward, we will actively communicate the image of Kangwon Land as a full-scale integrated resort — packed with entertainment and attractions beyond the casino — through a variety of content that helps the public feel more at home with Kangwon Land," he said.