Japan's Zozotown lands in Seongsu-dong: 'A crossroads of Korean and Japanese fashion'

Zozotown pop-up opens at Musinsa Store Seongsu

15 Japanese brands, established and emerging, under one roof

Collaboration to expand online; both sides aim to deepen ties

The interior of the "Zozotown in Musinsa" pop-up store, which opened Friday at Musinsa Store Seongsu in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul. [Provided by Musinsa]

"Until now, Zozotown has been introducing Korean fashion to Japanese customers. This time, it's an opportunity to bring the appeal of Japanese brands and Zozotown itself to Korea."

Zozotown, Japan's largest fashion platform, has arrived in Seongsu-dong, Seoul. The platform made its Korean debut alongside 15 local brands — including Beauty&Youth United Arrows, a label well known among Korean shoppers traveling to Japan or buying through direct import. The two-week pop-up, dubbed "Zozotown in Seongsu," is running at Musinsa Store Seongsu, near Exit 3 of Seongsu Station on Seoul Metro Line 2.

Inside the store Friday morning, Zozotown's signature black contrasted sharply with a riot of colorful fashion items. The floor was designed to resemble a crosswalk — a visual metaphor for a "fashion crossroads" where Korean and Japanese style converge.

Merry jenny, a Japanese fashion brand known for its liberal use of frills and lace. [Kim Jin]

The 15 brands on show spanned a wide range of aesthetics. Select shop labels United Arrows, OLUN and Urban Research brought a polished urban sensibility, while Snidel — a fixture in Japanese department stores — and Gyda, known for its bold silhouettes, drew attention with their feminine edge.

Smyeon, which built a following in Korea through idol-worn dresses, and merry jenny, with its signature frills and lace, showcased a dreamy, distinctly Japanese style. Men's brands Adrer and WYM LIDNM, championed by Japanese fashion influencers, also made a strong impression.

Yamasaki Takao, Zozotown's head of business, said the 15 brands were chosen based on their popularity on the platform and their ability to reflect a diverse range of customer tastes. "We would be delighted if visitors — whether they already love Japanese fashion or have never had a chance to encounter Japanese brands before — discover something new that they like," he added.

Yamasaki Takao, Zozotown's head of business, speaks at the platform's first pop-up store in Korea, held Friday at Musinsa Store Seongsu. [Kim Jin]

Zozo, the company that operates Zozotown, posts annual sales of 2 trillion won ($1.48 billion). The platform hosts more than 12,000 brands and draws about 13 million users a year. Against that backdrop, a Korean pop-up is an unusual move: Zozo has long operated as an online-only business, with no physical stores even in Japan.

It was Musinsa that brought them to the heart of Seoul. The two companies signed an MOU for a strategic partnership in 2024. The "Musinsa at Zozotown" storefront, which launched in November 2025, now sells nearly 350,000 Korean fashion and beauty products on the Japanese platform.

The pop-up also marks the first project to expand collaboration in the other direction — bringing Japanese brands to Korea through Musinsa's infrastructure. Earlier this year, Musinsa participated in a Zozotown pop-up in Nagoya in February, and Zozotown set up a booth at a Musinsa pop-up in Tokyo in August. A Zozotown booth is also planned for a Musinsa pop-up opening in Osaka on Oct. 23.

Going forward, the two companies plan to use Musinsa's online and offline infrastructure to introduce Japanese brands to Korean consumers. As part of the current collaboration, a dedicated online promotion will run on Musinsa's online store through Nov. 16.

Park Jun-young, Musinsa's chief global officer, speaks about the partnership between the two companies at the Zozotown pop-up store held Friday at Musinsa Store Seongsu. [Kim Jin]

According to Musinsa, barriers between Korean and Japanese fashion are falling fast. Transaction volume from Japanese users on Musinsa's global store has grown more than fivefold compared with 2023. In the first half of this year, both new member sign-ups and transaction volume more than doubled year on year.

Park Jun-young, Musinsa's chief global officer, said the company is focused on strengthening the links between fashion brands and consumers in the two countries. "The core of this is not simply adding more sales channels — it's about helping brands find new customers and grow in markets that each side understands well," Park said.

Zozotown chose Seongsu-dong not only to gauge Korean consumer response but to test its appeal with a global audience. The neighborhood has become a magnet for international fashion and beauty brands as tourist numbers rise, making it an ideal global testing ground.

Asked whether Zozotown might open additional pop-ups or pursue a broader entry into the Korean market, Yamasaki said no concrete plans were in place. "I think we can start thinking more about next steps once we see how this pop-up goes," he said.

soho0902@heraldcorp.com