The Coex Mall, Asia’s largest underground shopping center, reopens today in the affluent Samseong-dong neighborhood of Seoul after a full-scale renovation.

“The new Coex Mall was renovated to be transformed into a multi-purpose venue where shopping, business and culture come together,’’ said Coex Mall CEO Park Young-bae at a press conference at Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas.

“To set the new mall apart from others, it was designed to hold more cultural elements so that, ultimately, it can reposition itself as a cultural platform.”

The renovated mall is divided into five plazas. Central Plaza houses upscale fashion and beauty brands, combined with food and beverage chains. The Live Plaza is for cultural performances, while the Millennium Plaza is for trendy youth-oriented fashion brands. 

One of the biggest feats Coex Mall achieved with the renovation was to bring in the high-end global fashion and beauty brands.

According to Coex Mall, an outlet of Burberry Beauty Box ― Burberry’s standalone beauty store chain ― opens today at the Central Plaza for the first time in Asia.

Zara Home, the home decor store of the Spanish fashion giant, also opens its first Korean shop in the same plaza.

Meanwhile, an outdoor performance stage was installed in the Live Plaza to offer customers and visitors a wider range of cultural events and performances.

Other trendy fast fashion stores are in the Millennium Plaza, which directly connects with Seoul’s Subway Line 2.

The mall operator, owned by Korea International Trade Association, said the new Coex Mall offered considerable space to domestic firms and small retailers, in preference to luxurious overseas brands.

By Seo Jee-yeon (jyseo@heraldcorp.com)