[Report] Visiting Hongdae T Factory... Taking Out iPhone and Galaxy to Compare Specs

SKT's First Multiplex 'T Factory' Prepared Over 1.5 Years
Experience Smartphones, VR, Cloud Gaming All in One Place
Apple Store Also Opens as Shop-in-Shop... Xbox Games Available

On the first floor of T Factory's bestseller zone, you can compare up to three desired devices simultaneously.

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] At the 'Bestseller Zone' set up in a corner of T Factory, when I took out the iPhone SE, Galaxy S20 FE, and LG Q92, a spec comparison table appeared on a large monitor. From price, camera, and battery specifications to photos taken of the same space and objects, everything can be compared at a glance on the monitor. It also showed a table of which smartphones buyers of my age group prefer and how their usage patterns changed after purchase. When I scanned the QR code, the product page on the official online mall appeared.

On the 27th, I visited T Factory located on the 1st floor of Mercure Ambassador Hongdae in Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. T Factory is a multiplex where you can experience SK Telecom’s services all in one place. SK Telecom planned a new experience-focused store over a year and a half, breaking away from traditional stores. Unlike existing stores that focused on promoting services, visitors can roam around and try games, smartphones, and IoT devices.

T Factory Exterior

T Factory 1st Floor

It is difficult to look inside T Factory from outside or at the entrance. This is a strategy to frequently attract visitors by arousing curiosity with the ever-changing T Factory. Upon entering the store, crew members guide customers to enter their phone numbers and interest keywords into kiosks. A link called 'MyTag' is sent via text message. Cameras capable of scanning QR codes are installed throughout the store. When customers show their QR code to a tablet or camera, MyTag’s timeline filters and shows the booths visited or devices they paid attention to. MyTag acts as a guide to help the MZ generation, who find excessive guidance burdensome, find and explore the services they want.

T Factory is designed in a circular shape to focus attention toward the center. The high ceiling and circular design reflect the meaning of 'open innovation.' RAD, a Hong Kong-based firm that designed SK Telecom’s headquarters T Tower, was responsible for the store’s structure and design. In the center of the 1st floor, the 'Flex Stage' features a huge monitor and large joypad where visitors can experience cloud gaming. This stage will be filled with different services each month. Around the stage, visitors can try SK Telecom’s AI service 'NUGU' embedded IoT devices and smartphones for cloud gaming and more.

T Factory 2nd Floor Apple Zone

2nd Floor Xbox Game Pass Experience Zone

T1 Goods Exhibition Space

T Factory is a space that breaks away from standardized telecom stores by analyzing the interests of the MZ generation and flexibly adapting accordingly. There is a 'Data Zone' that provides free data top-ups for teenagers, a Jump VR Zone for communication in virtual spaces, an Xbox game experience area, and an AR Mirror that composites augmented reality images, offering a variety of entertainment options. CEO Park Jung-ho instructed, "Make it an open space where anyone can enter. Hold concerts and conduct various experiments with customers."

A 'Bestseller Zone' where popular products from flagship to mid-range smartphones can be compared in one place is also set up. Bestseller Zone 1 houses eight latest flagship models such as the Galaxy Note20 and LG Wing, while the second Bestseller Zone features eight mid-range smartphones including the Galaxy S20 FE, Galaxy A Quantum, and iPhone SE. At the unmanned kiosk, customers can select their desired smartphone or accessory and pay, then immediately receive the new device from a smartphone vending machine. Currently, only device upgrades are possible. On the 2nd floor, an Apple shop-in-shop allows visitors to experience iPhones, Apple Watches, AirPods Pro, iPads, and more. Additionally, an accessory zone sells T1 pro gaming team goods, retro and emerging designers’ smartphone cases, and other items.

SK Telecom plans to operate T Factory as a space where devices and services from various partners, including manufacturers, can be experienced, in line with the 'Open Innovation' concept. Kwon Hae-sung, leader of SK Telecom’s AI/DT Promotion Group Digital Marketing Team, said, "T Factory is equipped with QR codes throughout to enable experiences and interactions both online and offline," adding, "On the 31st, there will be an iPhone 12 launch event, and in November, an Xbox game launch event is also planned."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.