Gangnam streets, COEX Mall showcase latest trends

If Seoul displays Korean tradition and history north of the Han River, the city’s southern part, particularly the southeastern Gangnam area, reflects the country’s latest trends.

Three Gangnam streets ― Garosu-gil, Rodeo Street in Apgujeong and Cheongdam Fashion Street ― and the COEX Mall all have something to show from fashion to entertainment.

They can be easily accessed by either subway or bus from anywhere in Seoul and are always ready to satisfy tourists coming to Korea’s capital.

Garosu-gil, the latest hip place 

Dubbed the “resting place in downtown,” Garosu-gil stretches about 700 meters from the Sinsa-dong branch of the Industrial Bank of Korea to the Sinsa Community Center. The road is the latest hip spot in the capital, where tourists can rest from the hectic schedule with some style.

“The cafes are very stylish, it’s the most beautiful place I’ve been in Seoul and the people are so fashionable,” said an office worker from Singapore during a trip to Garosu-gil in Seoul.

Initially a home to artists who set up galleries there in the 1990s, the street still keeps alive an artistic atmosphere in uniquely designed boutiques and attractive European-style cafes.

“This place is the starting line of a modern trend,” said Kang Younmo, an office worker who often comes to Garosu-gil with friends. “It is a nice place for shopping and a great place for eating.”

Shops lining the street never fail to draw passing women’s eyes with splendid displays of clothes and accessories and many hip restaurants serving a variety of dishes.

As the street has its roots in artists’ galleries, they are hard to miss in Garosu-gil. Gallery Yeh, the first art gallery opened in Gangnam, draws attention with its unique facade and adds to an artistic atmosphere of the area.

Rodeo Street in Apgujeong, a mix of high fashion and entertainment 

Although the fashion trend-setting role seems to have shifted to Garosu-gil, Rodeo Street in Apgujeong still stands out as a high fashion street.

Derived from Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles, the street is home to high-end luxury goods. Foreign brands often test waters in the Korean market by setting up pilot shops here.

It’s a great place for shopping, which boasts the Galleria Department Store Luxury Hall East and West and a variety of brand shops and many hair salons, nail shops lining the street. It also has many entertainment establishments including the karaoke place “Everysing” run by the SM Entertainment which created famous K-Pop groups such as Girls’ Generation and SHINee.

Just wandering along the street and watching trend setters will give you a sense of the latest fashion trends.

Cheongdam Fashion Street, from high fashion to the hub of luxury business 

This street is home to luxury brand stores of Prada, Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Gucci and Hermes and is cementing its status as the hub of luxury businesses from fashion to arts to cars.

The Korean version of Champ-Elysees in Paris or Ginza in Japan offers luxury brand stores along the street, hip restaurants and cafes and even celebrity spotting if lucky.

The street once deemed unapproachable to many ordinary people is starting to bring sophisticated examples of luxury culture.

With famous flagship stores and collection shops such as 10 Corso Como and the Tory Burch flagship store, the luxury brand stores started to offer not just luxury goods but also the brand and lifestyle culture to customers.

A leading art market in Korea, the street has some domestically and internationally famous galleries including Gallery Hyundai Gangnam and CAIS Gallery. Cheongdam Art Festival is held every summer.

Positioned as the hub of luxury businesses, the area represents luxury in Korea, and “Cheongdamdong Style,” coined after the street, symbolizes Korean luxury style.

COEX Mall, multipurpose entertainment complex

Whether you are on a date or with family, a group of friends or alone, COEX Mall offers everything you need. Connected to Samseong station on subway line 2, the biggest underground mall in Asia houses more than 260 shops, including eateries, clothes shops, a game arcade, a bookstore, stationary shops, record shops, you name it.

“I visit there most of the time to see what’s new, and also because there’s a convention or exhibition of interest,” said one famous expat blogger here.

The convention center upstairs, where many exhibitions and conventions are held, is also a place for international communication and exchange.

Among others, a multi-screen movie theater Megabox and COEX Aquarium are one of most frequently visited sites. Megabox has the biggest audience capacity with 16 theaters and 4,218 seats. COEX Aquarium, the largest in Korea, is an indoor marine theme park with an artificial undersea tunnel. Seven Luck Casino also has cutting edge gambling facilities designed in an Asian style.

By Lee Woo-young (wylee@heraldcorp.com)