"Enjoy Course Dining at Burger King"... World's First Flagship Store 'Flameground'

Burger King's Flame-Grilling at the Forefront: Design Inspired by the "Flame-Grilled Flavor"

Burger King Korea Eyes '1 Trillion Won Club' and 600th Store in 2024

Lee Donghyeong: "Reinterpreting the Whopper as Gourmet Cuisine"

Burger King unveiled the world's first global flagship store, 'Flame Ground,' in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, on the 26th.

Burger King has opened its first-ever global flagship store, 'Flameground,' in Korea, introducing 'course dining' centered on signature menu items and the Whopper, its flagship burger.

On the 26th, Burger King held an opening media conference at Flameground, located on Handmade Shoe Street in Seongsu-dong, Seoul. Flameground represents an expansion of the heritage and customer experience accumulated by Burger King Korea over 43 years. It is the world’s first flagship model designed to allow guests to experience the unique grilled flavor in various ways through course dining, a first for a quick-service restaurant (QSR) brand. Flameground will officially open on September 10.

Lee Donghyeong, CEO of BKR, stated, "Our passion for burgers and the signature flame-grilled taste have captivated Korea for 43 years. We have reinterpreted the Whopper as gourmet cuisine, enabling this one-of-a-kind store to offer a truly unique experience beyond what is provided at other locations around the world. I hope customers can sense our genuine, uncompromising enthusiasm and dedication to burgers, going beyond mere premium quality."

The CEO of Mobile Burger King Korea is explaining at the Burger King Flagship Store opening briefing held on the 6th at Flame Ground in Seongsu-dong, Seoul.

Burger King Korea expects sales to surpass 1 trillion won and its store count to exceed 600 locations this year. As it approaches the milestone of joining the "1 trillion won club," Burger King Korea has established the flagship store to differentiate itself from other burger franchises and to offer customers the brand's core flame-grilling technology—something challenging to fully replicate at standard stores.

The design of Flameground brings the brand’s core “flame-grilled flavor” to life across the entire space, from the building’s exterior to the main hall and course dining room. The area connecting the entrance to the interior features dim lighting to create a dreamlike, otherworldly ambiance. The interior corridors are designed with motifs inspired by the 'broiler'—Burger King's signature grilling equipment—emphasizing its status as the flagship store.

The interior is divided into the main hall for general customers and the course dining room, known as “The Gastro Flameground.” While maintaining the functional layout typical of a burger franchise, the store employs materials like red brick, metal, charred wood, and charcoal to intuitively convey the image of flame-grilled cooking.

Throughout the main hall, The Gastro Room, and the annex, the space features collaborative works by five emerging Korean artists: Kim Dohyun, Ahn Dohyun, Yang Junguk, Jeon Hyeongsan, and Jeong Woowon. Located at the end of the corridor, “The Gastro” is designed to be calm and dim, giving it a secretive atmosphere. The Gastro Room is a reservation-only course dining area, where a chef’s tasting menu is served to a maximum of 10 guests per session. Each course highlights individual Whopper ingredients, such as the flame-grilled patty, bun, tomato, pickles, and onion—allowing diners to experience the distinct flavor of each familiar ingredient in a curated sequence.

Inside the flagship store 'Flameground' unveiled by Burger King on the 26th in Seongsu-dong, Seoul.

Lee Seongha, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Burger King, said, "Flameground is a space that reinterprets Burger King’s 70-year legacy of flame grilling and the Whopper’s core components through its design, menu, and dining experience. We wanted to show how seriously Burger King approaches its burgers, and how we plan to engage with consumers in the future."

Burger King Korea is also launching new signature burgers available exclusively at Flameground. These signature burgers highlight the flame-grilled taste and the Whopper's unique character, each designed around one of three themes: “Korean Flavor (Korea),” “Global,” or “Classic Menu.”

The “K-Cube Galbi Burger” reimagines traditional Korean galbi flavor with a flame-grilled twist, while the “Memphis BBQ Burger” takes a globally successful menu item and adapts it for Korean palates and the flagship’s distinctive concept. The “Philly Cheese Steak” draws inspiration from the classic sandwich, featuring thinly sliced ribeye and cheese. Tasting the K-Cube Galbi Burger, the abundance of ingredients sets it apart from regular burgers. The beef patty is reminiscent of the sweet and savory texture of Korean braised short ribs, while whole garlic and assorted vegetables balance the flavors, creating a harmonious taste overall.

Choi Youngjin, Head of the Product Innovation Center, commented, "The exclusive Flameground menu was developed using Burger King’s accumulated flame-grilling expertise. While the three signature burgers showcase innovative applications of the grilled flavor, The Gastro is designed to provide a deeper, more distinctive Whopper experience."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.