Shinsegae Property has announced the upcoming grand opening of Starfield Suwon on January 26. (Image courtesy of Shinsegae Property)
SUWON, Jan. 25 (Korea Bizwire) — Shinsegae Property has announced the upcoming grand opening of Starfield Suwon on January 26, heralding a new era of Starfield 2.0 tailored to the MZ generation (born early 1980s to early 2000s).
Located in Jeongja-dong, Jangan-gu, Suwon, Starfield Suwon spans eight floors underground and eight above ground, with a total area equivalent to 46 soccer fields (331,000㎡).
Starfield Suwon spans eight floors underground and eight above ground. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
It can accommodate 4,500 vehicles, making it the largest shopping complex in the Suwon area.
Unlike the family-friendly Starfield malls, Starfield Suwon focuses on MZ generation-specific stores. Under the concept of ‘Stay Field,’ the mall aims to be a leisurely space for dining, exploring, and experiencing everyday pleasures.
The new Suwon mall will also be the first Starfield outside of a major urban area to host a Starfield Library. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
The new Suwon mall will also be the first Starfield outside of a major urban area to host a Starfield Library, serving as an open cultural space themed around rest, meetings, and books.
The library boasts a grand repository, spanning from the 4th to the 7th floor, and offers an open, spacious environment. A Starfield Kids Library will also open on the 3rd floor.
A Starfield Kids Library will also open on the 3rd floor. (Image courtesy of Shinsegae Property)
The mall hosts editing shops and fashion/lifestyle brands popular among the MZ generation, with brands usually found only in Seoul’s Seongsu-dong and Hongdae areas.
Some stores are designed as experiential spaces where customers can engage with products through all senses, such as the LP cafe Vinyl Seongsu, the eco-friendly brand Lush’s traditional British spa Lush Spa, and Andar’s comprehensive community space.
Bites Place, a food and beverage (F&B) specialized zone, features a variety of dining options, including Michelin-level gourmet restaurants. Notable mentions include the largest Knotted branch in Gyeonggi-do, Yakitori Mook, and Bonanza Coffee.
Shinsegae Factory Store Starfield Suwon (Image courtesy of Shinsegae Department Store)
Starfield Suwon also houses Aseul Cheongdam, a modern Korean restaurant, Bycdol Happy Food offering American-Chinese cuisine from Apgujeong-dong, and Hieutu, a Vietnamese pho restaurant from Yongnidan-gil. Additionally, pet-friendly spaces and Starfield’s first premium fitness club, Concord, are part of the offerings.
Catering to a high proportion of young families and the ’1020 Zalpha Generation’ (Z and Alpha generations), about 30% of the mall’s 400 stores are first-time entries in Starfield, aimed at attracting over 1.2 million residents of Suwon and an estimated 5 million people within a 15km radius.
Shinsegae Group Vice Chairman Chung Yong-jin visits Starfield Suwon (Image courtesy of Shinsegae Group)
Shinsegae Property President Lim Young-rok emphasizes that Starfield Suwon will be a space where high-sensitivity brands and services, previously scattered across Seoul, are concentrated to maximize customer experience, making it an iconic landmark in Suwon.
The competition between Shinsegae and Lotte, traditional rivals, is also noteworthy. Lotte Department Store’s Suwon Branch is undergoing a major renovation for a re-launch in April.
Lotte Department Store’s Suwon Branch is undergoing a major renovation for a re-launch in April. (Image courtesy of Lotte Department Store)
With its strategic location in Suwon’s core commercial area, the store aims to highlight the strengths of both the department store and the shopping mall while enhancing the connection between space and customers.
It plans to host popular fashion, lifestyle, and F&B brands targeting the MZ generation, intensifying the competition with Starfield Suwon for MZ customer attraction.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
