MZ Generation Moms Say "Department Store Instead of Academy"... Strengthening English Education Services

Lotte Department Store Native English Education
Experience Applications Flood In Before Opening
Hyundai and Shinsegae Also Expand English Kika Programs

A child is attending an English class at the 'Cleverse Kids' store in Lotte Mall World branch.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] More parents are visiting department stores instead of academies for their children's English education. This is because the department store industry is strengthening educational services to attract children of MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z) parents with high purchasing power.

On the 4th, Lotte Department Store opened an English kids club called 'Pro Mom Kinder' at its Ilsan branch. Operated by membership-only reservation, Pro Mom Kinder is a space where children can draw pictures or experience culture with native English-speaking teachers. Word of mouth about it being a "premium playground to learn English while playing at the department store" spread, and more than 50 parents applied for the experience even before the opening.

On the 2nd, Lotte Mall opened the first branch of the premium English kindergarten 'Clevers Kids' at the World branch. Clevers Kids offers English education in various fields such as coding and finance. Interest was so high that more than twice the number of available spots applied since the admission briefing held in December last year. Additionally, last year, the Gimpo Airport branch opened the international play school brand 'Kinder Mama The Signature' in a space of about 893㎡ (270 pyeong), and the Dongtan branch introduced 'Sesame Street Run and Play.'

Hyundai Department Store also operates the English kids cafe Pro Mom Kinder and 'Creville' at six department stores and two premium outlets. Another location is planned to open in the first half of the year.

Shinsegae Department Store has been operating Pro Mom Kinder since 2019. Starting with the Times Square branch, it has expanded to a total of four stores including the main branch, Gwangju Shinsegae, and Daejeon Shinsegae.

This change in department stores aims to target MZ generation parents who understand department stores not just as shopping spaces but as complex cultural spaces. These parents visit department stores primarily for their children's education or various cultural activities and shop as a secondary activity.

Professor Seo Yonggu of the Department of Business Administration at Sookmyung Women's University explained, "As the number of single-child families increases due to low birth rates, 'premium kids' who receive concentrated benefits have emerged," adding, "From the department store's perspective, sales increase, so they have no choice but to pursue a premium strategy that creates new customer experiences."

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