The world is very aware of Samsung and you could have even stepped in one among its shops. However, one rises above the relaxation: the Samsung flagship store in its residence metropolis of Seoul, South Korea. This brand-new store opened at the finish of June 2023 and is completely huge.
Samsung opened this store not lengthy after Apple launched its personal store in the similar Gangnam district of the metropolis. As such, it’s pretty apparent why Samsung needed to construct a towering behemoth simply down the road. Samsung is clearly sending a message.
Still, South Korea is a great distance for a lot of Samsung followers to journey. Thankfully, we had the alternative to pay the store a go to throughout our time in Seoul for the summer season iteration of Galaxy Unpacked 2023, the place Samsung debuted the Galaxy Z Fold 5, Z Flip 5, and extra. Here’s what we noticed!
Samsung flagship store: Five flooring of Samsung
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
The store occupies a big constructing simply exterior of Gangnam Station. Five of the flooring are open to the public, with the first flooring being a welcoming space with the core Galaxy merchandise on show: telephones, tablets, and smartwatches. Multiple employees members are right here to greet you if you arrive and see what you want.
If you head from the first flooring downstairs into the basement, you’ll discover a buyer help middle. There’s a big plush sofa and a number of kiosks so that you can get assist with no matter Samsung product you will have.
Meanwhile, if you happen to head upstairs from the first flooring, you get to what Samsung calls the Connected Hub. Interestingly, the very first thing you’ll see if you get to the prime of the stairs is a diorama exhibiting outdated Samsung telephones in what seems to be a superhero battle:
The little cape on the Galaxy S2 is fairly foolish! Notice something unusual, although? Eagle-eyed Samsung followers will know that that wallpaper is what shipped with the Galaxy S3, not the Galaxy S2. Deliberate Easter egg, or mistake? You be the decide.
Next to this diorama, you’ll discover a assortment of outdated Samsung flip telephones. Why are these right here? Samsung particularly designed this store with Gen Z in thoughts, and Gen Z loves flip telephones, apparently. Astonishingly, most of the telephones are nonetheless in good working order, akin to the SCH-G100 from 2005:
The second flooring additionally has extra trendy Galaxy telephones on show, a small desk with its enormous OLED gaming displays, and a bit dedicated to well being, full with an train bike. There are additionally quite a few tablets, smartwatches, laptops, and different cellular merchandise accessible.
This flooring additionally has a wall of instances you should purchase for Galaxy smartphones and earbuds. These instances are unavailable wherever else in the world. Some of them are fairly ridiculous, akin to these earbuds instances formed like Pringles cans, Pepsi cans, bottles of water, and extra:
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
By far, this second flooring is the place most of the motion is occurring. Check out the gallery beneath earlier than we transfer on to the subsequent two flooring.
A restaurant, a small theatre, and a ‘playground’ coming quickly
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
If you’re taking the stairs as much as the third flooring, you’ll first see a small cafe. You should buy tea, espresso, pastries, and different objects right here. There are bar seats alongside the barista station in addition to some extra alongside the home windows. Wherever you sit, you received’t be removed from a counter show that may have a telephone, a smartwatch, and a few earbuds so that you can play with. Samsung encourages you to make use of the smartphone (a Galaxy S23 at most of the seats I noticed) to snap photographs of your latte.
Next to the cafe is a small theatre. It’s fairly barebones, with a small stage and some rows of stadium bench seats. I estimate it may match between 50 to 75 folks directly. Samsung makes use of this for shows, lectures, and different occasions. I couldn’t get a photograph of this, although, as they had been portray it and didn’t enable me close to the entrance.
Elsewhere on this flooring is the SLBS studio. SLBS is a Korean accent maker. The studio permits prospects to purchase pre-made equipment for his or her Samsung gadgets or make their very own by consulting with a clerk. Some of those instances had been fairly wild. Check out the earbuds case formed like The Simpsons’ TV!
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
We have some extra photographs of those distinctive equipment beneath.
What about the fourth and ultimate flooring? Unfortunately, this flooring was briefly closed. It used to deal with an enormous 8K tv exhibiting skyscrapers of the Gangnam district. However, I snuck a peek, and it appears like they’re changing it into a special sort of expertise. Samsung calls this the Open Playground, so possibly it’s turning the flooring into one thing that befits the identify.
The Samsung flagship store in Korea crams just about every part Gen Z cares about into one place. However, this is removed from an all-encompassing Samsung expertise. There had been barely any televisions, for instance, to not point out zero residence home equipment. Gen Z doesn’t actually care a lot about these merchandise, although, so Samsung skipped them.
If you’re a Samsung fan and end up in Seoul, visiting this Gangnam store is extremely advisable. There are issues right here you’ll be able to’t see (or purchase) wherever else. Regardless, it’s additionally an excellent place to have some tea and a snack overlooking the bustling metropolis, even if you happen to’re not seeking to purchase any new Samsung tech.