Coex Mall, all about entertainment

By Kim Rahn

Daniel, an English resident in Seoul, used to have lunch at Coex Mall in the Gangnam District almost every day when he worked nearby. Now he doesn’t live near the mall, but still visits there about once a month.

“When I go, it’s usually to meet up with friends who live in the area. We’ll probably get something to eat and then sit around in a coffee shop talking for hours. Sometimes I go to Bandi & Luni’s Bookstore there, because it’s probably the one in Seoul with the biggest selection,” he said.

Coex Mall, located under the Coex business complex, is a place to meet, not only Daniel, but also many of Seoul’s citizens.

The main reason why Asia’s largest underground mall is so popular is it can literally satisfy all needs ― dining, shopping, entertainment and cultural experiences.

Connected directly to Samseong Station on subway line No. 2, the mall has become a good date place for couples, entertainment venue for families and a tourist attraction where foreign visitors can catch a glimpse of Korea’s leisure culture all at once.

“It is pretty huge, so they have just about whatever you might want. Also there’s a good mix of coffee shops, restaurants, the cinema and so on, so you can spend the whole day there without feeling bored,” Daniel said, and that’s why an average 120,000 people visit the place every day.

Entertainment heaven

Even to shopaholics, dropping by all the stores at Coex Mall may be impossible: There are 430 shops, covering almost all domestic and foreign brands and ranging from clothes, accessories and cosmetics to stationery, cell phones and toys.

The shopping options grow if including those in Hyundai Department Store, which is also connected to the mall.

The nation’s first Megabox opened at Coex Mall, which fully introduced the multiplex concept to Korea. With over 4,200 seats in 16 theaters, it holds several records such as the world’s largest daily audience when 32,617 people visited the cinema on July 31, 2004.

Many previews and promotions featuring actors now take place there, while such events used to be held at theaters in northern Seoul.

Coex Aquarium is also popular, especially among children. It attracts people with 600 marine species and the tunnel-like shark tank. Previously 63 Seaworld at 63 City was the nation’s only large scale aquarium,

“My daughter’s mouth dropped open when she passed under the fish tank, with sharks and turtles swimming above her head. ‘Dad, I feel like I’m under the sea,’ she kept saying,” Choi Kuk-hoon, a 37-year-old visitor to the aquarium, said.

Bandi & Luni’s boasts a large volume of books, matching that of Kyobo Book Center. It has a good selection of foreign books and offers spaces to sit where visitors can read.

If tired from shopping and looking around there are plenty of restaurants and coffee shops where visitors can eat, chat, and rest. Eating options range from food courts and fast food chains such as McDonald’s and Kraze Burgers to family and seafood restaurants including T.G.I. Friday’s and Todai.

Casino

One of Coex Mall’s advantages is that it has other attractions directly connected to it.

Appealing to some foreign visitors is the Seven Luck Casino Seoul Gangnam, located at the convention annex above the mall.

In the 6,059-square-meter space, the foreigner-only casino is equipped with 74 gaming tables and 121 slot machines.

The casino is part of the reason why hotels next to it ― the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas, InterContinental Seoul COEX, Park Hyatt Seoul and Oakwood Premier Coex Center Seoul ― have a large number of foreign tourists, especially from Japan and China.

The five-star InterContinental and Hyatt hotels and the serviced residence Oakwood offer luxurious accommodations which satisfied the many VIPs staying there during last year’s G20 Seoul Summit for which Coex was the main venue.

For those who want a glimpse of traditional Korean cuisine, the Pulmuone Kimchi Museum is conveniently located on the second basement floor of the mall. Visitors can learn about various kinds of kimchi, how to make it, kimchi’s efficacy and many more.

Music lovers are encouraged to visit the Coex Artium, a theater for musicals. Located at the entrance of the mall, the 808-seater auditorium has presented famous musicals such as “Legally Blonde” and “Romance of Their Own.”

When needing some quiet relaxation, visitors can head to Bongeun Temple just across the street. “I love that the mall is right next to Bongeun Temple, so if I need to buy something, I can combine a shopping trip with some good scenery,” Daniel said.