Official merchandise also available through online virtual store
Former UFC fighter and broadcaster Kim Dong-hyun, known by his ring name "Stungun," is set to open official pop-up stores in Daejeon and Busan.
Fan platform company Pledge said it opened Kim's STUNGUN pop-up store at Daejeon Shinsegae Art & Science on Monday. Stungun is Kim's ring name and, along with the nickname "Maemi Kim," a familiar moniker among his fans.
The Daejeon store will run through Nov. 8 on the sixth-floor Art Terrace. It will then move to the Hyperstate on the second below-ground floor of Shinsegae Centum City in Busan from Nov. 19 to Dec. 3. Kim is scheduled to visit the Daejeon store in person on Nov. 6 to hold a fan meeting.
The venue features a "Hyrox Challenge Zone" where visitors can take on Kim's fitness records, with two exercise machines available for hands-on participation. Twenty-three official merchandise items are also on sale, including apparel such as T-shirts, hoodies and hats, as well as a desk sandbag, plush toys, keyrings and sports towels — all drawing on Kim's character and catchphrases.
For fans unable to visit in person, an online 3D virtual store has also been set up, replicating the physical pop-up store in a digital space where visitors can browse and purchase products.
The online platform also offers seven mini-games, including a punch-strength test and a "Catch Maemi Kim" game. Through Nov. 30, players can earn merchandise discount coupons based on their rankings, and participants in team competitions will be entered into a draw for products autographed by Kim.
The virtual store is accessible through the Pledge Store website and mobile app.
yjc@heraldcorp.com
