Starbucks opens store at Yeouido's 63 Building observatory
Han River and Seoul skyline on full display; cocktails also on the menu
'Special stores' strategy sets chain apart in crowded cafe market
![Starbucks' 63 Sky Picnic store. [Starbucks Korea]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/09/23/news-p.v1.20260923.7cf6359959994a07a124a6cdf33f3204_P1.jpg)
On the 60th floor of Yeouido's 63 Building, floor-to-ceiling windows frame an unobstructed view of the Han River and the Seoul skyline. Guests can sip coffee and cocktails at window-side seats, and after dark, fiber-optic lights suspended from the ceiling cast a soft glow across the room — less a cafe, more an upscale cocktail bar in the clouds.
Starbucks opened the 63 Sky Picnic store at the 63 Building's 60th-floor observatory, which reopened in June. It is the highest Starbucks in Seoul and the second highest in the country, trailing only the Haeundae Exthesky store in Busan.
The store sits at the end of the observatory's visitor route, so guests pass through it as the final stop on their tour and enjoy the same panoramic views. The annual fireworks festival held at Yeouido Han River Park is also visible through the full-width windows. However, this year the observatory was reserved for a private event on the day of the festival, limiting access for general customers.
Visitors must purchase an observatory admission ticket to enter the store; there is no separate cafe-only entry. Adult tickets are priced at 27,000 won ($20) and children's tickets at 23,000 won. "Foreign tourists and couples are our main visitors," a Starbucks spokesperson said. "On weekends, families with children also make up a significant share."
The interior draws on the imagery of 63 Building and the Han River. The design concept takes its cues from the building's golden exterior and the warm hues that appear on the river at sunset. The ceiling is fitted with wave-shaped panels and fiber-optic lights arranged at varying heights to evoke the flow of the river.
Lighting adjusts automatically throughout the day — bright and relaxed in the afternoon, then dimmed to a glamorous, intimate setting in the evening for cocktails and night views. In keeping with the observatory setting, the store carries three cocktail options available at only 17 locations nationwide: a purple mango dragon fruit piña colada, a fashion tea cosmopolitan and a pink grapefruit rum tonic.
The store also incorporates elements of the global "Back to Starbucks" strategy, introduced last November, which aims to revive the cozy coffeehouse atmosphere the chain was once known for. Two-person benches and sofas have been added to encourage guests to linger.
Several drinks on the menu are inspired by Seoul and aimed squarely at tourists — among them a Seoul sunset omija fizzy drink and a Seoul makgeolli-flavored cold brew. "A lot of tourists take photos with those drinks against the backdrop of the store and the view outside," a staff member said.
The merchandise area is also tailored to tourists, stocking character keyrings and Korea-exclusive mugs alongside cocktail accessories such as shakers, ice buckets and muddler sticks.
Starbucks has been rolling out "special stores" since 2020, using natural scenery or local character as the draw. The lineup spans "THE" stores that emphasize views, concept stores built around unusual spaces, and urban reserve locations that bring a coffeehouse feel to city centers.
The THE-branded stores include a location overlooking Bukhansan National Park, one with views of Uiam Lake in Chuncheon, and a drive-through in Yangpyeong that combines easy road access with natural surroundings. Each draws an average of about 1,000 visitors on weekdays and around 1,500 on weekends, functioning as local landmarks in their own right.
Some stores make use of existing historic structures. The Daegu Jongno Gotaek store occupies a traditional house more than a century old, while the Gyeongdong 1960 store was carved out of a theater from the 1960s. Starbucks is also expanding its reserve-only footprint, with locations including Jangchung Lounge R, Reserve Dosan and Reserve Gwanghwamun.
The push for differentiation reflects a bet on "destination consumption" — the idea that customers will seek out a specific place for the experience it offers, not just the product. In a saturated cafe market, competing on convenience or price alone has become increasingly difficult. "Rapid shifts in trends and an overall rise in quality across the market are intensifying competition," a Starbucks spokesperson said. "We will use our differentiated store spaces — one of Starbucks' core strengths — to give customers a compelling reason to choose us."
korean@heraldcorp.com
