Express Bus Terminal underground mall reinvents itself as K-fashion runway
Shoppers walk down the central plaza of the underground shopping mall at Express Bus Terminal in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, in 2018. Hankook Ilbo
Beneath the concrete sprawl of Express Bus Terminal lies Gotomall, a vast subterranean labyrinth of roughly 620 shops better known for budget impulse buys than haute couture. Now, city district officials are attempting a high-fashion transformation, turning the sprawling underground market into an interactive runway.
Starting Sunday, Seocho District in southern Seoul will launch the 2026 Goto-Sebit K-Style Up Festa, a monthlong campaign aimed at repositioning the underground shopping hub as a premier destination for modern Korean street styles. Running every Sunday through Oct. 25 along Picasso Mural Street, the festival pairs the market’s affordable wardrobe staples with professional styling by beauty experts.
The initiative highlights the Goto-Sebit Special Tourist Zone, designated in late 2024 as the only tourism district in Seoul to encompass the Han River. Spanning the transit terminal, Banpo Han River Park, the floating island of Some Sevit and the underground passages of Gotomall, the zone blends commercial retail with riverside leisure.
While the district previously hosted pop culture events and global brands like Pokémon GO, its latest campaign targets direct economic benefits for local merchants. Around 70 percent of Gotomall's vendors specialize in clothing and footwear, making it an ideal staging ground for fashion events.
Throughout October, visitors can browse a curated photo exhibition showcasing representative looks from participating stores and vote on their favorite outfits. Top-rated displays will earn a 2026 K-Fashion Award flag and benefit from storefront promotional features designed to drive foot traffic straight from the gallery to the register.
Nearby, interactive stations will offer skin analysis using artificial intelligence, along with personal color consultations and hands-on beauty coaching.
The festival culminates on Oct. 25 with the K-Style Gotomall Fashion Show, where university students will walk the runway in complete looks styled entirely from inventory sourced directly from the underground market. The entire process from merchant selection and fittings to hair, makeup and photo shoots is being filmed as a digital series to market the district to international tourists.
"We designed this so citizens and visitors can directly experience how fashion items sold at Gotomall are reimagined into fresh K-style through professional styling," said Jun Sung-soo, mayor of Seocho District. "We will continue expanding the unique appeal of this district, where fashion, beauty, tourism, and shopping intersect."
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.