10 Corso Como in limelight after appearance in Psy music video

With Psy’s “Gentleman” music video being watched by hundreds of millions of people around the world, some of the spots where the video was shot are receiving worldwide attention.

The spots currently in the limelight include 10 Corso Como Seoul, a multi-brand branch store of Milan’s famous shopping and dining complex offering designer clothes, beauty products and design objects.

In the earlier part of the music video, Psy is featured dancing in the Cheongdam-dong store, surrounded by other cast members and mannequins. 

The unique store design and trendy clothes on display captured worldwide attention, turning the store into a “hot shopping spot” favored by Psy, according to Cheil Industries Inc., which brought the store to Seoul in 2008.

“Compared to last year, the number of visitors to the store increased by 50 percent,” said Kwon Eun-joo, assistant PR manager at Cheil Industries.

Kwon, who visited the store recently, said she saw busloads of Chinese tourists coming into the shop, as well as individual Japanese tourists.

“Many come for collaboration items with singers of S.M. Entertainment,” she added.

S.M. Entertainment partnered with 10 Corso Como in March this year, also the fifth anniversary of 10 Corso Como Seoul.

It presented limited-edition apparel and accessories created in collaboration with K-pop groups Super Junior, Girls’ Generation, SHINee, f(x) and TVXQ.

The store also had other collaborative projects with Korean fashion designers and other idols such as JUUN.J in 2009 and Big Bang in 2011.

According to Kwon, it is the first time that the store has been featured in mass media.

“When Psy suggested filming a scene for his music video, we welcomed the offer because we thought it would be a good chance to show the store to the world,” said Kwon.

10 Corso Como, which opened in 1990 in Milan, opened its Tokyo store in 2002 and Seoul store in 2008. A second Korea store opened recently at Lotte Department Store in Sogong-dong, near Myeong-dong, a tourist shopping hub.

The Financial Times, in a recent article, mentioned the store as one of the top places to take notice of, likening Korean fashion to Psy’s “Gangnam Style.”

“With 10 Corso Como being featured in Psy’s music video, we expect the store will turn Seoul into a fashion and design hub,” Kwon said.

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