Apple to Open First Store in South Korea on December 30 [Updated]

[MacRumors]

Apple's first official retail store in South Korea is set to open just before the end of the year on Saturday, December 30, reports Korean site ETNews [Google Translate].

Much of the work on the upcoming store in Seoul's Gangnam district was finished in November, and the construction company that renovated it says that Apple's plan is to open it up on December 30. Barring any special problems at the last stage of construction, the store is likely to open up on that date at 10:00 a.m. local time. Hiring and training for the store has also been completed.

Image via ETNews​

Apple retail store chief Angela Ahrendts is rumored to be planning to attend the opening of the first Korean Apple Store, which ETNews says features the same modern design that's been introduced in many Apple Stores around the world over the course of the last couple of years.

Specifically, the site says there's a wide glass front and 18 product tables showing off iPhones, Apple Watches, iPads, and MacBooks. This is a two-floor store, and other areas like the "Today at Apple" meeting place and the Genius Grove may be located upstairs.

The store is located in the upscale Garosugil shopping district in Gangnam, which houses ritzy restaurants, cafes, and high-end stores.

Apple has recently opened several new locations in Asia, including Taiwan and Singapore. This particular store in South Korea could be Apple's 500th store, so long as no additional Apple Stores open before December 30.

Apple currently has 499 Apple retail stores around the world, not counting Apple Watch boutiques and taking into account the recent closure of the Simi Valley Apple Store. Apple's new Visitor's Center at Apple Park was the 498th store, while the 499th is the new store located in Downtown Brooklyn, which opened in late November.

Update: The upcoming Apple Store in South Korea did not open on December 30 as stated by ETNews. It is still under construction and will open at a later date.

Article Link: Apple to Open First Store in South Korea on December 30 [Updated]

 

[newyorksole]

Their 500th store opening in Samsung’s home country... What a time.

 

[bazinga871]

Apple Gangnam Style?

 

[Cloudkicker]

Is it like Bizzaro World (thanks, Seinfeld!) where its citizens bemoan a lowly competitor? lol Those Hipster Doofuses (again, thanks, Seinfeld) sitting in Buckstars with their MacBook Pros.

 

[FloatingBones]

Apple Gangnam Style?

Well, duh! "The phrase 'Gangnam Style' is a Korean neologism that refers to a lifestyle associated with the Gangnam District of Seoul."

 

[predation]

You don’t have money. Get out.

 

[1 iron]

heard angela is spending the holidays in pyongyang

 

[wesley96]

Hah, what a timing. I was heading over to where this shop is being built just now.

 

[Luke MacWalker]

Still no news about a new Apple Store in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan to replace the one closed last year?

 

[macs4nw]

Their 500th store opening in Samsung’s home country... What a time.

That could be a hard sell..... in the lion's den so to speak. Selling higher-priced Apple goodies to Samsung loyalists, right on the turf of the hometown heroes.....

 

[jimthing]

...well someone had to add it, didn't they.
Over 3 billion views. Wow. One wonders how much he made on views, if it's likely 3B/1000 = $3M, then not bad I guess.

 

[Mc0]

That could be a hard sell..... in the lion's den so to speak. Selling higher-priced Apple goodies to Samsung loyalists, right on the turf of the hometown heroes.....

We will see...popcorn mode*

 

[ke-iron]

Seems as you guys don’t know an enormous amount of Koreans use Apple products. This Apple store in Korea will do very well.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Their 500th store opening in Samsung’s home country... What a time.

Personally I see this as a HUGE waste of resources and effort by Apple. Anyone have the revenue figures for Apple in Korea’s?!

 

[ke-iron]

Personally I see this as a HUGE waste of resources and effort by Apple. Anyone have the revenue figures for Apple in Korea’s?!

What are you basing your speculations on? If you watch Korean pop tv shows you will see a lot of the younger crowds use iPhones. I also know a lot of them use macs as well.

Apple have stores in China that does tremendously well. So what makes you or anyone else thinks it would not do well in Korea?

 

[UL2RA]

What are you basing your speculations on? If you watch Korean pop tv shows you will see a lot of the younger crowds use iPhones. I also know a lot of them use macs as well.

Apple have stores in China that does tremendously well. So what makes you or anyone else thinks it would not do well in Korea?

Shh, don’t use logic in here.

 

[dontwalkhand]

Town Squares*

Hahahahaha

 

[Hustler1337]

Lets hope Kim next door doesn't hear about American corporations setting up camp nearby. He'll get real itchy if he sees this article...

 

[UL2RA]

Lets hope Kim next door doesn't hear about American corporations setting up camp nearby. He'll get real itchy if he sees this article...

Who cares what the “supreme leader” thinks?

 

[Sartoria]

iPhones are incredibly popular in South Korea, unlike what some posters here seem to presume.

On another note, I’m very happy about this news whilst on the verge of moving to Seoul for two years in February!

 

[Breaking Good]

A big congrats to our friends in South Korea. A quick look at Wikipedia shows that Seoul and the surrounding area has a population in excess of 9 million. So I'm sure an Apple retail store will do well even if it is in Samsung's home turf.

Of course, I wouldn't mind if Samsung took Microsoft's hint and opened a store in Tyson's Corner Mall in Virginia where Apple opened its very first store. Are you reading this Samsung? Microsoft realized what a great idea the Apple retail store was and copied it. Why don't you?

 

[wesley96]

A big congrats to our friends in South Korea. A quick look at Wikipedia shows that Seoul and the surrounding area has a population in excess of 9 million. So I'm sure an Apple retail store will do well even if it is in Samsung's home turf.

Seoul alone has population of 10 million, with the surrounding area having about 10 million more. This “Sudogwon”, or the capital area, has about 40% of the entire South Korean population.

Apple has done very well in terms of selling iOS devices in Korea. It’s the second most popular brand, going against the perpetually dominant Samsung. Yet Apple has not bothered to set up an offline store until now, making a lot of the users feel left out.

Considering the popularity of the brand and the population density of the region, this store is long overdue.
[doublepost=1513481816][/doublepost]

Lets hope Kim next door doesn't hear about American corporations setting up camp nearby. He'll get real itchy if he sees this article...

Who cares what the “supreme leader” thinks?

If he’s going to get itchy, it’s not because “American corporations setting up camp nearby”, because that happens all the time - South Korea is a highly developed country with good ties to United States. It’s going to be because Kim Jong-un is a Mac user. His main desktop is an iMac (as confirmed by official photos) and it’s no coincidence that the North Korean Linux Distro (Red Star) rips off the macOS interface. Will he invade South Korea to get his AppleCare+?

 

[dacalo]

That could be a hard sell..... in the lion's den so to speak. Selling higher-priced Apple goodies to Samsung loyalists, right on the turf of the hometown heroes.....

What an ignorant post. Samsung products in Korea are more expensive than the US and on par with Apple products. Also, like already mentioned, Apple products are doing well there and are pretty common. You may be surprised at how Koreans perceive Samsung...

 

[MH01]

That could be a hard sell..... in the lion's den so to speak. Selling higher-priced Apple goodies to Samsung loyalists, right on the turf of the hometown heroes.....

Does apple not have a 30% share? They seem to do fine

 

[ersan191]

Lets hope Kim next door doesn't hear about American corporations setting up camp nearby. He'll get real itchy if he sees this article...

Right wouldn’t that be crazy? Next thing you know they’ll have McDonalds, Starbucks, Taco Bell, Dunkin Donuts, Krispy Kreme, Pizza Hut, KFC, Shake Shack, Cinnabon, Dairy Queen, Popeyes, Hollister, A&F, Yankee Candle, New Balance, Banana Republic... oh, wait..
[doublepost=1513514478][/doublepost]

What an ignorant post. Samsung products in Korea are more expensive than the US and on par with Apple products. Also, like already mentioned, Apple products are doing well there and are pretty common. You may be surprised at how Koreans perceive Samsung...

Indeed. Not everyone in the US drives a Ford just because they are a domestic brand, why would people assume the same about Koreans and Samsung?