[르포] Although more than 500 confirmed patients per day, Lotte World Mall and E-Mart merchants are crowded … Over 100 people waiting in the Chanel store
Shopping centers and hypermarkets are crowded even in the second phase Chanel shop, only 100 people waiting … The market increases sales thanks to “Zipcock” Instead of a cafe, there is also a “Kagong tribe” located in the rest area of a shopping mall.
Around 2pm on the 28th, Suwon Sindong branch of E-Mart Traders. It appears that a row is lined up with each crate. / Reporter Lee Sun-mok.
By the afternoon of the 28th, major indoor malls and hypermarkets in Seoul and the metropolitan area were as crowded with people as any other weekend. As of 0 o’clock of the day, there were 504 new cases of coronavirus infection (Corona 19) in Korea and the number of new confirmed cases on the third day exceeded 500. In the sector, on the 24th, after the social distancing phase in the metropolitan area was boosted to the second phase, it was observed that offline store sales would decrease, but rather large supermarkets and shopping centers were crowded with people.
Major malls like Jamsil Lotte World Mall and Starfield COEX were crowded around lunchtime. There were also long lines in front of famous restaurant chains. Hanmo (61), a housewife who used hand sanitizer in front of a clothing store, said: “I inevitably went shopping before my daughter’s wedding, but I was surprised because there were more people around. what I thought.
On the 28th, the Chanel store of Lotte Department Store Avenuel Jamsil. / Reporter Eunyoung Kim
Cosmetics, clothing stores, and cinemas were generally busy, but the luxury hall was crowded with people. At 11:40 am that day, 105 people were waiting for the Chanel store in Lotte Avenuel Myeongdong. Waiting lines were also set up in the Dior and Tiffany stores. The same goes for the luxury shops at Lotte World Mall in Jamsil. A department store official said: “Before the store opened, there were many people waiting in line. The crown exploded and there were fewer people, but the luxury stores were always crowded.”
The rest facilities in the mall were also full of people. Most of the seats were occupied by people keeping a minimum distance in the “Byeolmadang Library”, a rest facility of Starfield COEX. There were many people who enjoyed resting sitting on the chairs or on the stairs in front of the classroom. After increasing the distance, it became impossible to eat any drinks or food in cafes, so more and more people were coming out of the malls to eat or rest after buying drinks.
‘Byeolmadang Library’ at Starfield COEX shopping center in Samseong-dong, Seoul on 28th / Reporter Eunyoung Kim
There were also many “Kagong” studying or working on computers in the rest area. Lee Mo (28), a work-ready student studying on the second floor of the Byeolmadang library, said: “I was looking for a place to study because I couldn’t concentrate at home, and I came here.” I settled in a mall. Due to the distance, places are limited, so you have to come early in the morning to find a good spot. ”
Hypermarkets also don’t seem to have been very successful with the second phase of the distance. E-Mart Traders’ Suwon Shin-dong branch continued about half a tour of the market building to enter the parking lot this afternoon. The 3rd and 4th floors of the car park were not fully accessible. A market official said: “It appears that the number of customers wanting to buy groceries has increased as restaurant operations have been limited after 9 o’clock due to increased distance and the demand for domestic food has increased.
On the afternoon of the 28th, the vehicles waiting to enter E-Mart Traders’ Suwon Shindong branch line up. A sign indicating full traffic was posted at the entrance to the car park. / Reporter Lee Seon-mok
Indeed, after the 24th, when the distance was increased to the second phase, the sales of hypermarkets increased. In the case of Lotte Mart, sales increased by 7.7% for three days starting on the 24th compared to the same day the previous week. Compared with the day of the week delivery, it increased by 3.1%.
On the other hand, department stores, with the exception of luxury goods, were relatively busy. The Max Mara pop-up store was open on the first floor of the main building of the Myeongdong branch of Lotte department store, but no one was watching. The clothing stores on the 2nd and 3rd floors were also crowded and only staff were walking around. Young Plaza was also on sale by 50%, but there were no customers. The Kakao Friends on the first floor, which was crowded with 10-20 year olds who usually take authentication photos, had only one customer.
At around 11:00 on the 28th, the cosmetics store on the 1st floor of the Lotte Mall Suwon branch is full. / Reporter Lee Seon-mok
The situation was similar to the Suwon Station shopping district, which is said to be a sacred place for shopping in the southern part of Gyeonggi, as there are Lotte department stores and AK department stores. The cosmetics and fashion shops on the first floor of the department store were busy and even during lunchtime there were no people in the restaurant. Shin-mo, 57, daily commodity store manager at AK Plaza, said, “I thought the year-end sales period was worth doing business, but the number of confirmed cases has increased again and it seems to have become a sand fish “. “I’m up all day.”
