[Report] "Island Distillery Authenticity"... Lotte World Mall 'Jameson Whiskey' Popup

'Jameson Distillery On Tour' Experience
Running from the 11th to the 23rd
Vivid Atmosphere Like Moving an Irish Distillery
Interactive Content Including Tour Programs Sold Out

"It feels like I'm actually at an Irish distillery."

On the afternoon of the 14th, the 'Jameson Distillery On Tour' popup held at the Atrium Plaza on the 1st floor of Lotte World Mall in Songpa-gu, Seoul, was bustling with people waiting to enter despite it being a weekday afternoon. While waiting in the long line, visitors took commemorative photos in front of a giant oak barrel sculpture installed at the entrance. Upon entering, the interior design featuring Jameson's signature green color was noticeable everywhere. From the photo wall to shelves, whiskey bottles, and pamphlets, efforts to incorporate Jameson's unique color into even the smallest details were evident.

Entrance view of the 'Jameson Distillery On Tour' popup opened on the 1st floor of Lotte World Mall
Photo by Seohee Lee

Jameson is an authentic Irish whiskey with a history of nearly 250 years. Although it is a well-known brand domestically, ranking first in global sales volume, this global tour event was planned with the purpose of targeting younger generations, considering the recent whiskey craze not only among middle-aged and older adults but also among the MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z). The Jameson Global Tour started in 2020 in Lisbon, Portugal, and after stops in the United States, South Africa, Manila, and others, it arrived in Korea this year as the sixth country worldwide. The growing 'whiskey love' among young people in Korea has also attracted global attention.

The background behind Jamsil Lotte World Mall being selected as the final domestic venue after fierce competition is also special. According to a Jameson official, after selecting major domestic landmarks as candidates and personally visiting them, Lotte World Mall received high marks for its ability to attract crowds and the proportion of young customers visiting. After the selection, Lotte Department Store and Pernod Ricard Korea began discussing the overall concept and direction of the popup from June last year, and full-scale interior construction started in May this year. The Lotte Department Store 'Wine & Liqueur' team took the lead in planning the event's direction.

Visitors at Lotte Department Store's 'Jameson Distillery On Tour' popup are lining up to participate in the event.
[Photo by Lee Seohee]

Participants in the 'Distillery Tour Program,' one of the experiential contents of Lotte Department Store's 'Jameson Distillery On Tour' [Photo by Seohee Lee]

Another highlight of the popup site is the variety of experiential content that visitors can try themselves. In particular, the 'Distillery Tour Program' was so popular that all reservations were fully booked despite its relatively long duration of 40 minutes. Participating in the program that day, it took about 20 minutes to listen to detailed explanations of the Jameson whiskey production process, followed by another 20 minutes for whiskey tasting and Q&A. Although it was quite some time, it was not boring as visitors could touch barley imported directly from the Irish distillery and smell the scents of sherry oak and bourbon oak during the explanation of the production process.

The Jameson Distillery On Tour received an enthusiastic response, recording 10,000 visitors in a single day during the opening weekend on the 12th and 13th. A representative from the Lotte Department Store Wine & Liqueur team said, "The response has been positive, with an average of 6,000 to 10,000 visitors per day, and the purchase rate of Jameson whiskey following visits is also high. As the whiskey craze continues among the MZ generation, we plan to continue offering unique programs to bring enjoyment to young people."

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