Lotte Department Store Main Branch Decorated for Christmas with a 'Gift' Theme

The exterior of the Lotte Department Store main branch located in Sogong-dong, Seoul, has been decorated with Christmas ribbon ornaments. (Photo by Lotte Department Store)

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Lotte Department Store will decorate the exterior and surroundings of its Sogong-dong main store with a Christmas theme starting from the 9th, ahead of Christmas. The lighting of a large Christmas gift ribbon and tree will officially mark the beginning of the year-end Christmas season.

Lotte Department Store has chosen the theme of ‘gift’ for this year’s Christmas season and introduced the character ‘Ttonttu,’ a Finnish folklore elf. In collaboration with illustrator Minji Kim, they created the elf ‘Ttonttu,’ who helps Santa deliver gifts, embodying the Christmas romance. Amid the subdued atmosphere caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, they expect to enhance the Christmas season’s sentiment by drawing inspiration from a fairy-tale style picture book.

A notable feature of this Christmas display is the animation revealed through a media facade using the exterior walls from the 2nd to the 6th floor of Lotte Department Store’s Young Plaza. It vividly recreates a story of an elf living in a mystical forest who helps Santa Claus prepare Christmas gifts for each household and deliver happiness. The animation can be viewed starting Friday the 13th, and by scanning the QR codes placed on structures throughout the store, customers can watch the Christmas video on YouTube.

Additionally, the department store’s exterior is wrapped with a 250-meter-long ribbon fitting the gift concept, and a passageway connected by a giant Christmas tree and snowflake lights has been created. It is expected to become a popular photo spot for families and couples through the year-end. Moreover, when the department store’s show windows open on the hour, the scenes of ‘Ttonttu’ preparing for Christmas in the forest are conveyed through movement and music.

From the 27th to December 20th, a Christmas market will be held on the 8th floor of the main store. It will not only sell Christmas-related products but also serve as a space where customers can feel and experience the Christmas theme. Customers who make purchases will receive a coloring paper gift featuring this season’s story.

Minji Kim, the illustrator of the Christmas illustrations, said, “In these socially subdued times, I wanted to convey a small but warm heart to those who see it.”

Jung Hye Lee, head of the design office at Lotte Department Store, said, “To comfort customers weary from COVID-19 this year during the Christmas season, we prepared spaces throughout Lotte Department Store with a fairy-tale concept of gifts, containing messages of hope and healing.”

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