Distribution Rivalry 'Incheon Landing Operation'... Songdo Lotte vs Cheongna Shinsegae

Shinsegae Builds Starfield and
State-of-the-Art Multi Baseball Dome in Cheongna
Experience Everything from Shopping and Baseball to Cultural Performances with 'Universe'

Lotte Offers Department Store-Style Mall,
Luxury Resort, and Eco-Friendly Green Spaces in Songdo
Providing Enhanced Experiences with Premium Halls and Street Malls Combining Shopping and Leisure

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Yuri] Retail rivals Lotte and Shinsegae are set to compete in Incheon. Lotte plans to open ‘Lotte Mall Songdo’ in Songdo, Incheon in 2025, unveiling an urban resort-style complex cultural space and aiming to transform the area into ‘Lotte World.’ Shinsegae aims to complete the ‘Shinsegae Universe’ by 2027 by building Starfield and a dome stadium together in Cheongna, allowing visitors to enjoy shopping, leisure, and cultural activities all in one place.

◇ "In 5 years, shop and watch baseball in Cheongna"

According to the retail industry on the 25th, Shinsegae Group will build a complex shopping mall (Starfield) and a baseball dome stadium on a 165,000㎡ site in Cheongna-dong 6-14, Seo-gu, Incheon by 2027. Shinsegae Group Vice Chairman Chung Yong-jin and Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok met at Incheon City Hall the day before and agreed to strengthen cooperation to expedite related projects, including Starfield, the dome stadium, and the construction of a new subway station on Seoul Subway Line 7.

Shinsegae Group plans to make Starfield Cheongna a place “where you can do everything when you visit.” Instead of segmented experiences like going to the baseball stadium to watch a game, visiting the mart to shop for groceries, and stopping by the mall for shopping, they aim to provide a connected experience where visitors can buy clothes, shop for groceries, watch baseball, and enjoy cultural performances all in one place. They intend to build the ‘Shinsegae Universe’ so that visitors can experience everything Shinsegae Group has to offer at Starfield Cheongna.

To this end, Shinsegae Group is currently designing Starfield Cheongna, including the dome stadium. The goal is to complete the design within this year and apply for changes to the building permits. Starfield will be a stay-type complex shopping mall with three underground floors and six above-ground floors, where shopping, culture, leisure, and entertainment can be enjoyed in one place. After signing a business agreement in December 2012 and a land sale contract in 2013, construction of Starfield Cheongna began in July 2020. Originally scheduled for completion in 2024, the plan was revised to open together with the dome stadium in 2027. The project cost is also expected to be adjusted from the initial 1.3 trillion won. Shinsegae Group plans to invest 11 trillion won over five years in offline channels including department stores, E-Mart, and Starfield, including this project.

The dome stadium to be built alongside Starfield Cheongna will be a state-of-the-art multi-stadium. Shinsegae Group plans to equip the dome stadium with a 20,000-seat professional baseball stadium and a complex cultural viewing facility to host K-pop concerts, performances by internationally renowned artists, international e-sports tournaments, and various exhibitions. A Shinsegae Group official said, “Considering that only 72 out of 144 professional baseball games are held at the home stadium, the dome will be used as a complex cultural venue on the 293 days when no baseball games are held,” adding, “We plan to use it for K-pop concerts and other events as long as it does not interfere with professional baseball games.”

Incheon City and Shinsegae Group also agreed to cooperate on adding a new subway station on the Cheongna extension line of Seoul Subway Line 7. The new station’s detailed design will be completed within this year, with construction starting next year. They will work together to ensure completion by 2027 along with the already confirmed existing stations. Vice Chairman Chung said, “We will strive to open the dome stadium era ahead of other local governments through the prompt promotion of the Cheongna dome stadium,” and added, “This will play a role in developing Incheon into an international city.”

◇ ‘Urban Resort-Style Complex Mall’ in Songdo

Lotte is also accelerating offline investments following Chairman Shin Dong-bin’s pardon. Lotte Group plans to invest a total of 37 trillion won over five years, with 8.1 trillion won allocated to the retail sector. Lotte Mall Songdo is one of the major projects in the retail sector. Lotte aims to make Lotte Mall Songdo a landmark that attracts not only Songdo but also the surrounding population. The concept is an ‘urban resort-style complex mall.’

The mall will feature a department store-style mall, a 200-room luxury resort, nature-friendly green spaces, artificial waterfronts, and observation decks, with diversified spaces such as premium zones and street malls to provide various experiences. The target completion year is 2025. The existing Lotte Department Store Incheon Terminal branch will also strengthen its luxury brand offerings alongside terminal expansion. Through this, it aims to become the next Lotte Department Store branch to surpass annual sales of 1 trillion won, following Jamsil, Main, and Busan Main branches.

A retail industry insider said, “Including Songdo and Cheongna, Incheon and its surrounding areas have lacked landmark shopping and leisure facilities relative to the population,” adding, “As both companies begin full-scale development, the retail landscape in the region is expected to change rapidly around the time of their openings.”

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