Van Leeuwen ice cream opens in southern Seoul for Korean debut

Van Leeuwen ice cream / Courtesy of A Twosome Place

A New York-born ice cream brand favored by global celebrities is set to make its debut in Korea this summer in Seoul’s Gangnam District, as premium dessert competition intensifies in one of Asia’s most closely watched food retail markets.

A Twosome Place, the Korea-based cafe operator, said Tuesday that it will officially launch Van Leeuwen in Korea and open its first store near Gangnam Station, a major transit and commercial hub served by Subway Line 2 and the Shinbundang Line.

The brand, founded in 2008 as a yellow ice cream truck in New York, has built its reputation on a “less is more” philosophy centered on high-quality ingredients and French-style ice cream enriched with extra egg yolks.

Van Leeuwen said its signature vanilla bean flavor uses Madagascar bourbon vanilla and has been widely praised in the United States as one of the best versions of the classic flavor.

Other offerings planned for the Korea launch include Sicilian pistachio made with nuts grown near Mount Etna and Earl Grey tea ice cream infused with bergamot and cream.

The company said it avoids artificial additives, focusing instead on ingredient-driven flavor profiles that have attracted a loyal following among Generation Z consumers and food trendsetters in the United States.

Van Leeuwen has also cultivated a high-profile cultural cache, with celebrity fans including Sabrina Carpenter, Kylie Jenner and Ed Sheeran helping position the brand as a lifestyle symbol as much as a dessert chain.

The Gangnam store marks the first step in a broader Korea rollout, with additional locations planned in key commercial districts through this year.

A Twosome Place said it signed a master franchise agreement with Van Leeuwen earlier this year to oversee its expansion in Korea and introduce the brand’s New York scoop-shop experience to local consumers.

The company said the Korea launch will serve as a platform to test further expansion as global food brands continue to cluster in Seoul’s most competitive retail corridors.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.