A "Rich Family's Daughter" Is "Effortlessly Polished" Today, "Glamorous" Tomorrow... Department Store-Core Has 20- and 30-Somethings Going Wild [Why&Next]

Hyundai Department Store Customers in Their 20s and 30s Near Half of Total
Lotte Department Store Sees 20% Rise in New Customers in Their 20s and 30s
Shinsegae Sees Growing Sales Share Among Customers in Their 30s
Desserts, Pop-Ups, and Cultural

Recently, "Hyunbaekcore" has been gaining popularity on social media, spawning new terms based on department store names, such as "Lottebaekcore" and "Shinbaekcore." These terms describe fashion styles inspired by the image of each department store, evoking a "rich family's daughter" with a different vibe at each store. Department stores, once regarded as shopping destinations for middle-aged and older consumers with strong purchasing power, are now being used as inspiration for young people's fashion and lifestyles. In fact, as the share and number of visitors in their 20s and 30s have increased, competition among department stores to attract young consumers has intensified.

According to the retail industry on October 22, "Hyunbaekcore," a fashion reinterpretation of the image of Hyundai Department Store, has recently become a hot topic on social media. Interest has since spread to "Lottebaekcore," inspired by Lotte Department Store, and "Shinbaekcore," inspired by Shinsegae Department Store. "Core" refers to a fashion style that shares a particular mood or aesthetic.

Hyundai: "effortlessly chic" vs. Lotte: "polished" vs. Shinsegae: "glamorous"... Department Store-Core Trends Heat Up Social Media

Hyunbaekcore refers to a "Kkuankku" style - relaxed outfits such as oversized jackets and wide-leg pants, elevated with subtle luxury. The key is to evoke the air of a carefree rich girl without flashy luxury-brand logos. Lottebaekcore is described as a polished yet sophisticated style, featuring items such as ivory knitwear, miniskirts and luxurious coats. Shinbaekcore refers to a glamorous, chic style built around statement pieces such as leather jackets, fur and sunglasses. In other words, even rich girls are portrayed as having different fashion tastes depending on the department store.

Although these styles do not categorize actual department store customers, they are drawing attention because young consumers are assigning different images to each department store and enjoying them as distinct fashion codes. This suggests that department stores are seen not just as places to sell products, but as spaces representing a particular mood and lifestyle.

An industry official said, "The department store-core trend is significant because it shows that young people see department stores not simply as places to shop, but as brands through which they can express their tastes and identities. Department stores are also paying attention to this phenomenon because the brand images formed among young consumers can lead to actual visits and spending, and ultimately provide a foundation for building loyal customers."

Customers in Their 20s and 30s Nearly Half of Hyundai Department Store's Base... Lotte's New Customers Up 20%

The department store-core trend is also linked to a shift toward younger core customer groups. After major department stores spent years expanding products and experiential content aimed at people in their 20s and 30s, changes are now emerging in their actual customer base.

According to Hyundai Department Store, the share of customers in their 20s and 30s rose from 37% in 2020 to 42.2% in January-September this year, bringing it close to half of all customers. That was an increase of 5.2 percentage points from 2020. In particular, the number of customers in their 20s surged 38.1% in January-September this year from the same period a year earlier. The number of customers in their teens (16.4%) and 30s (8.6%) also grew faster than that of customers in their 40s (7.9%) and those aged 50 and older (6.1%). Average spending per customer also rose 27.1% among customers in their teens and 10.8% among those in their 20s.

Lotte Department Store is also seeing an increase in younger customers. Growth in new customers in their 20s and 30s was 15% in 2024 and 10% last year, before reaching 20% in January-September this year compared with the same period a year earlier. Revenue from female customers in their 20s and 30s increased 10% over the same period. Customers in their 20s accounted for 10% of total sales, while those in their 30s accounted for 25%, bringing the combined share for people in their 20s and 30s to 35%.

At Shinsegae Department Store, customers in their 30s accounted for 26.8% of total sales in January-September this year, up 1.3 percentage points from the same period a year earlier. The share of customers aged 20 and younger also rose 0.5 percentage points to 4.0%. By contrast, the share of customers in their 40s fell 0.4 percentage points to 29.6%, while that of customers in their 50s fell 0.6 percentage points to 23.7%. Customers in their 40s still account for the largest share of sales, but the gap with those in their 30s is narrowing.

Fewer Stores, More Places to Relax... Targeting Customers in Their 20s and 30s With Desserts and Pop-Ups

Department stores are turning sales-focused areas into spaces for relaxation, culture and hands-on experiences to attract younger customers. The strategy is to give people a reason to visit even when they are not shopping.

The Hyundai Seoul, operated by Hyundai Department Store, is a leading example. It created Sounds Forest, an indoor green space spanning about 3,300 square meters, on the fifth floor, and opened Waterfall Garden, featuring a 12-meter-high artificial waterfall, on the first floor. The total indoor landscaping area covers 11,240 square meters, enough space for about 170 clothing stores. Hyundai Department Store estimates that the area could have generated more than KRW 200 billion in annual sales if it had been used for commercial purposes. ALT.1, a gallery on the sixth floor, has also established itself as a cultural space, surpassing 1.6 million paid visitors in June this year.

Lotte Department Store is putting the spotlight on Korean fashion and large-scale pop-up stores. Last year, it opened Kinetic Ground, a dedicated Korean fashion space, at its Main Store and Jamsil Store. At Lotte Town Jamsil, it held more than 500 pop-up events in the first half of this year alone. Its offerings have expanded from popular desserts such as "Jeonguk Tteokji Sunrye 2" and Godiva Mochi to a project marking the 20th anniversary of BIGBANG's debut and a Pokemon collaboration event.

Shinsegae Department Store is focusing on desserts and subculture. At Sweet Park, its dessert hall at the Gangnam branch, the Japanese doughnut brand I'm donut has become so popular that customers have to wait about an hour on average to make a purchase. A pop-up store held at the Gangnam branch for the mobile rhythm game Project Sekai drew wait times of up to three hours on opening day, and about 70% of visitors were women in their 20s.

Turning Visitors in Their 20s and 30s Into Future VIPs... Department Stores Compete to Win Customers Early

Department stores are working hard to attract customers in their 20s and 30s to secure core customers over the long term. They are betting that customers who frequently visit a particular department store when young may increase their purchases of high-priced products as their incomes grow.

There is also a concerted effort to attract young VIPs who already have significant purchasing power. Hyundai Department Store's Club YP, launched in 2021, is a leading example. It provides dedicated lounges and personalized services to customers aged 45 or younger who spend at least KRW 30 million annually. The number of Club YP members this year has more than doubled compared with 2024.

Another industry official said, "If pop-up stores, desserts, and cultural and experiential spaces help draw new customers to department stores, VIP memberships and differentiated products and services are becoming ways to turn them into repeat customers. Since tastes and consumption trends among people in their 20s and 30s change rapidly, department stores are working to expand their points of contact with customers so they can turn them into valuable long-term customers rather than one-time visitors."

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