The Korea Times close
National
  • Politics
  • Diplomacy
  • Defense
  • Labor & Environment
  • Law & Crime
  • Health & Welfare
  • Embassy
  • Seoul & Provinces
  • Education
  • Foreign Communities
  • Obituaries
  • Multicultural Youth Award
Biz & Tech
  • Auto
  • IT
  • Game
  • Manufacturing
  • Retail & Food
  • Energy
  • Construction
  • Airlines
Finance
  • Policies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Banks
  • Non-banks
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
Lifestyle
  • Arts
  • Books
  • Travel & Cuisine
  • Trend
  • Fashion
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
  • Translation Award
Entertainment
  • K-pop
  • K-dramas & Shows
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Performances
  • Asia Model Festival
Sports
  • Football
  • Golf
  • Baseball
  • Other Sports
World
  • Asia Pacific
  • Americas
  • Europe & Africa
  • SCMP
Video
  • On the Spot
  • Feature
  • News
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
Community
  • The Korea Times
  • all menu
  • search
  • facebookfacebook
  • twittertwitter
  • youtubeyoutube
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
  • The Korea Times
  • all menu
  • search
  • facebookfacebook
  • twittertwitter
  • youtubeyoutube
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
Biz & Tech
  • Auto
  • IT
  • Game
  • Manufacturing
  • Retail & Food
  • Energy
  • Construction
  • Airlines
Sat, December 7, 2019 | 05:55
Retail & Food
Department stores emerge as hot spot for year-end parties
Posted : 2019-12-02 17:16
Updated : 2019-12-02 18:09
Baek Byung-yeul
Mail
Print Preview
Font Size Up
Font Size Down
Visitors to a restaurant at Hyundai Department Store's Mia branch in Seoul enjoy dinner in this photo provided by the department store, Monday. / Courtesy of Hyundai Department Store
Visitors to a restaurant at Hyundai Department Store's Mia branch in Seoul enjoy dinner in this photo provided by the department store, Monday. / Courtesy of Hyundai Department Store

By Baek Byung-yeul

Department stores have become popular locations for year-end parties with more people seeking to improve the balance between their work and personal lives and avoid binge drinking, according to officials from the three major department stores ― Hyundai, Lotte and Shinsegae ― Monday.

"Eating grilled pork belly with a glass of soju for the first round and fried chicken with beer for the second round have been regarded as a typical example of a year-end party in Korea. However, the culture is changing as more people are trying to avoid binge drinking until late at night, and the department stores have emerged as popular locations for year-end parties," a Hyundai Department Store official said.

"Many visitors are using high-quality but affordable restaurants in department stores. Also, they don't need to go elsewhere to go shopping when meeting at department stores. This is another pro of using department stores."

Hyundai said it analyzed the reservation status of 122 restaurants for December located in their 15 department stores nationwide and the number of reservations has increased by 21.9 percent year-on-year.

The company added the times of the meetings have also changed compared with the same period in 2018 as more people prefer to have their year-end parties at lunch or in the early evening.

"Restaurants doing business in our department stores have been receiving 30.1 percent and 13.7 percent more reservations at lunch time or early evening between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. for December compared with the same period in 2018," the official said.

Especially, the department stores located near business districts such as Pangyo in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, and Samseong-dong in southern Seoul have seen their reservation numbers increase by 68.7 percent and 51.5 percent, respectively.

A Lotte Department Store official agreed. "People like office workers are increasingly preferring to hold their year-end parties at department stores. Restaurants located at our department stores are receiving increased numbers of reservations compared to previous years."

An official from Shinsegae Department Store also said "the restaurants in our branches have recently been receiving more reservations. This is because the department stores have traditionally been busy places in the year-end season and more customers like to dine at fancy restaurants at the department store."

Among the dining options, Chinese restaurants are the preferred destination for year-end parties, they added.


Emailbaekby@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter








 
 
  • numberShould China replace US as S. Korea's key ally?
  • numberKorea gripped by season's coldest weather
  • numberYoung Filipino-Korean dance group to perform musical show
  • number'Unprecedented' fires turn skies orange in Australia
  • numberNorth Korea threatens to resume calling Trump 'dotard'
  • numberIndians hail 'quick justice' after cops shoot dead 4 suspects in gang-rape case
  • numberLawmakers move to ban Tada's 'taxi business'
  • numberBoeing poor in repairing defective B737 jets
  • numberKorea slips to become Japan's No. 4 export destination amid trade row: data
  • numberGM, LG Chem in venture to build factory in Ohio
  • Actor Kang Ji-hwan gets suspended prison sentence in rape case Actor Kang Ji-hwan gets suspended prison sentence in rape case
  • BTS, 'Parasite' - victims of China's culture protectionism BTS, 'Parasite' - victims of China's culture protectionism
  • Singer Choi Jong-hoon appeals gang-rape conviction Singer Choi Jong-hoon appeals gang-rape conviction
  • BTS 'takes swipe at' chart rankings manipulation BTS 'takes swipe at' chart rankings manipulation
  • Celeb chef Baek Jong-won's new show focuses on farm products Celeb chef Baek Jong-won's new show focuses on farm products
DARKROOM
  • Global climate change: time is running out

    Global climate change: time is running out

  • CA cave fire burns more than 4,300 acres

    CA cave fire burns more than 4,300 acres

  • No money, no hope: South Korea's 'Dirt Spoons'

    No money, no hope: South Korea's 'Dirt Spoons'

  • Hong Kong democrats score historic victory

    Hong Kong democrats score historic victory

  • Halloween

    Halloween

  • About Korea Times
  • CEO Message
  • Times History
  • Content Sales
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • Location
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Mobile Service
  • RSS Service
  • Ombudsman
  • hankookilbo
  • Dongwha Group
  • Code of Ethics
Copyright