The pop-up store "Hwasaro-wa, Hwasun" runs Friday through Sunday at Small Town Small in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul.
Hwasun-gun is using a pop-up store to promote its tourism offerings directly to MZ generation visitors and tourists in the greater Seoul area.
The Hwasun Culture Foundation said the pop-up store "Hwasaro-wa, Hwasun" — themed around a journey through Hwasun's own paradise — will run Friday through Sunday at Small Town Small in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul. It marks the foundation's first pop-up store in downtown Seoul.
The event's core concept is "A Journey Through Hwasun's Utopia." The space is designed as an immersive, experience-driven environment that weaves Hwasun's natural scenery and tourism resources into a single narrative, drawing on the county's signature landmark Hwasun Jeokbyeok and its specialty crop, peaches.
Visitors are cast as "explorers" rather than passive viewers, completing a series of missions to engage with Hwasun's tourism content firsthand.
The venue features a station where visitors can locate Hwasun on a map, an archiving zone showcasing six themed travel routes, a puzzle experience tied to the Hwasun Jeokbyeok Culture Festival, and a limited-edition tourism merchandise reward event.
The archiving zone introduces six customized travel itineraries developed through the "Hwasaro Project" — routes tailored for foreign visitors, social media influencers, families, wellness seekers, outdoor enthusiasts and temple-goers. Visitors can use a special tool called the "Pungnyu Magnifier" to discover hidden gems along each route.
The foundation has also prepared follow-up programs to help turn the event into actual visits to Hwasun rather than a one-off experience.
Visitors who complete the Jeokbyeok puzzle mission will receive a poster and detailed schedule for the Hwasun Jeokbyeok Culture Festival, set for October, and can book festival-linked travel products through on-site consultations. Those who finish the mission will also receive limited-edition tourism merchandise.
The foundation also plans to use the pop-up as a test bed for its greater Seoul tourism marketing strategy, gathering consumer feedback to inform future product development and promotional planning.
During the event, the foundation will host networking sessions with travel agencies, tour planners and local creators to build a broader base for B2B cooperation aimed at attracting metropolitan-area tourists and selling travel products.
"This is a new tourism marketing initiative designed to introduce the region's image in Seoul and turn the charm of Hwasun — experienced firsthand — into actual travel," a Hwasun-gun official said. "We will continue to develop and present tourism content unique to Hwasun that makes visitors want to come back."
The pop-up store will be open daily from noon to 8 p.m. throughout the event, with free admission for all.
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