Pop-up tied to Gimcheon city partnership
Limited Seoul–Gimcheon travel packages also on sale
Lotte Department Store announced Wednesday it will operate a pop-up store ahead of the 2026 Gimcheon Kimbap Festival, set to take place next month.
The pop-up, themed "Gimcheon Kimbap Festival: Kkodali's Seoul Business Trip," will run Friday through Oct. 8 at the main event hall on the first below-ground floor of the retailer's Jamsil branch. It is designed to give Seoul customers a taste of the Gimcheon Kimbap Festival, which runs Oct. 23 to 25 in Gimcheon.
The pop-up space is divided into five themed zones. It opens with a photo zone featuring Kkodali, Gimcheon city's official mascot, followed by a travel zone introducing round-trip bus tickets to the festival. A kimbap sales zone showcases restaurants participating in the main Gimcheon event, a bakery zone offers kimbap-shaped desserts, and a snack zone highlights foods that pair well with kimbap.
The kimbap sales zone will feature regional varieties from across the country — including an egg-packed keto roll from Marunovari Born Recipe in Gimcheon (7,900 won), a spicy pepper kimbap from Jinju's Jinju Ttaengcho Kimbap (6,000 won), a 12-layer egg roll with abalone and pork-wrapped green onion kimbap from Busan's Han Kkie-e Maeumul Damda (9,900 won each), and an Ulleungdo fernbrake namul kimbap from Gwangju's Ulleungdo Bugijjaengi Namul Kimbap (10,000 won, about $7).
A limited package tour, "Kimbap Heaven Package Tour with the Kimbap Captain," will also be available. The package includes round-trip bus tickets between Seoul and Gimcheon, related merchandise and welcome food. Priced at 69,000 to 79,000 won, it will be sold to a maximum of 240 customers.
The pop-up is part of an MOU between Gimcheon city and Lotte Department Store.
"We planned this so customers can be the first to experience the Gimcheon Kimbap Festival, which has become a cultural trend, right here at Lotte Department Store," said Lim Hyeong-bin, head of the food and beverage division at Lotte Department Store. "We hope this pop-up — where delicious kimbap, unique merchandise and photo zones come together — brings a fresh kind of enjoyment to customers visiting Jamsil this autumn."
soho0902@heraldcorp.com
