SOUTH KOREA. Lotte Duty Free has completed construction of Star Lounge, a new VIP customer facility connected to the retailer’s flagship downtown store in Myeong-dong, Seoul.
The KW10 billion (US$9.3 million), 1,339sq m Star Lounge, first revealed by The Moodie Davitt Report in early April, is South Korea’s biggest travel retail VIP customer facility. It is connected to the main store via an exclusive elevator to make shopping easy for guests.
Star Lounge offers VIP customers a high-class experience, including brand launches and fashion shows. It embraces four separate spaces – LVVIP Global Lounge, LVVIP China Lounge, LVIP Global Lounge, LVIP China Lounge – allocated according to the customer’s membership level and nationality. Each lounge will offer VIP interpreting and personal shopping services.
Star Lounge will have 191 seats and is expected to be used by over 1,000 people daily.
Each space features luxurious furnishings and lighting. Five large media walls are installed on the inner walls, allowing art works by world-renowned artists to be screened.
To mark the opening, world-renowned Chinese artist Miao Xiaochun, leading French graphic artist and illustrator Jean Julien and Korea’s Lee Nam-lee are presenting works under the theme of ‘Invitation to a holiday break’.
Guylian Chocolate Café, the second café in the Republic of Korea from the Lotte-owned chocolate house, is another attraction. Three Michelin-starred Belgian chef Peter Goossens has created unique menus for the café.
Additionally, Star Lounge features a personal showroom for VVIP customers and a customer meeting room, bookable by reservation.
Lotte Duty Free will celebrate the opening on 17 May with a Korean wave (hallyu) event, including a fan meeting with actor Lee Joon-gi and boy band 2PM (both Lotte Duty Free faces) for 200 foreign VIP customers.
From opening day until 31 May, the retailer is offering a range of incentives for Star Lounge customers who spend over US$600 or US$800. These include vouchers to spend at the Guylian Chocolate Café. Discounted packages for Lotte facilities and services on Jeju island are also on offer.
Lotte Duty Free Shop CEO Jang Sun-wook said, “The Star Lounge reflects Lotte Duty Free’s philosophy to offer the best service to customers at home and abroad.”
