So, I finally made my way over to that Dior pop-up in Seongsu the other day. You know how it is, you hear all the chatter, see it all over social media, and eventually, curiosity just gets the better of you. Or maybe it’s just FOMO, who knows these days.
Anyway, decided to check it out. Getting there was, well, Seongsu. Packed. Always packed. Finding the actual place wasn’t too hard, it’s pretty hard to miss, honestly. They really go all out with these things. From the outside, it was definitely making a statement. Big, grand, kinda like a glowing white box dropped into the neighborhood. Very Dior, I guess. You could see the effort, or at least the money, that went into making it look impressive.
Stepped inside, and yeah, it was pretty much what you’d expect. Super sleek, very minimalist but also kinda over the top at the same time, if that makes any sense. Lots of their signature stuff on display – bags, some clothes, a bit of makeup. They had this digital art installation thing, which I guess is the ‘in’ thing for pop-ups now. Trying to be all modern and ‘experiential’.
The main thing I noticed? People. Lots and lots of people. And pretty much everyone had their phone out, snapping pictures. It felt less like a store and more like a photo studio, you know? Everyone trying to get that perfect shot for their feed. I even saw a few folks with actual professional-looking cameras. For a pop-up!
It’s funny, Seongsu is just filled with these kinds of places now. Brand after brand, they all set up these temporary shops. It’s like a checklist item for them. “Must have a trendy pop-up in Seongsu.” And they all kind of blend together after a while. You get the cool architecture, some exclusive-feeling items (or at least items they make you think are exclusive to the pop-up), and, of course, the designated photo zones. It’s a formula.
I found myself wondering, are people actually buying much? Or is it more about being seen there, about capturing the ‘vibe’? It’s a whole production. I didn’t see too many shopping bags, but I sure saw a lot of posing.
I remember when going shopping was just… going shopping. You needed something, you went to a store, you looked around. Now, it has to be this whole big ‘experience’. And sometimes, that experience is mostly just waiting in line or trying to navigate through crowds of people taking selfies. Nothing against Dior, the stuff looked nice, obviously. But the whole pop-up scene itself is becoming a bit much, maybe?
So, yeah, I went. I saw. I took a mental picture, because my phone battery was actually dying, ironically. Would I say it was life-changing? Nah. Was it a thing to see in Seongsu? I guess so, if you’re into that. It’s definitely part of the landscape there now. Just another shiny thing to look at before the next one pops up.