Christmas in New York City Comes to The Hyundai Seoul

On November 9, at The Hyundai Seoul's Sounds Forest in Yeouido, Seoul, visitors passed through a dimly lit subway entrance reminiscent of New York City, revealing a back alley illuminated by red lights. Colorful graffiti adorned the walls, and old newspapers littered the ground. As they exited the narrow passage, a vibrant Christmas street unfolded between red brick buildings, featuring a yellow taxi, a symbol of New York.
 
Hyundai Department Store previewed its Christmas-themed space, 'H Village,' to the media. This year's theme is 'Christmas in New York City.' Public viewing begins on the 10th and runs until December 31. Throughout the area, Christmas music plays alongside announcements of “Taxi! Taxi!” from speakers. The installation features 13 red brick buildings, each up to 10 meters tall, complete with rooftop water tanks, exterior fire escapes, large billboards, and neon signs. Signs and newspaper stands typical of old New York streets, as well as hot dog vendors, were also included.
 
The design focuses on recreating the essence of New York in the 1980s and 1990s. A real graffiti artist contributed to the wall designs, drawing inspiration from the diverse cultures of hip-hop and jazz that characterized New York at the time. Various materials were used in the buildings and sculptures to capture the city's unique, free-spirited atmosphere. Hyundai Department Store representatives noted that the setup took about a month to complete. Jeong Min-kyu, the chief designer, stated, “New York is a city where different cultures, races, and values converge to create new trends. This aligns with the department store's characteristic of showcasing diverse cultures and sensibilities in one space.”
 
The choice of 1985 as the backdrop holds significance as it marks the year Hyundai Department Store first opened. Hidden throughout H Village are elements symbolizing this year, such as vehicle license plates reading 'HDS-1985' and newspapers dated December 25, 1985. The phone numbers on building signs reflect the opening dates of major Hyundai Department Store locations. This year's Christmas story features cats as the main characters. The store's mascot, 'Baby Bear Harry,' struggles to deliver gifts in New York, where the lights never go out, prompting local alley cats to band together to help him.
 
The cats are inspired by the 'bodega cat' culture commonly seen in New York's neighborhood grocery stores, where cats catch mice and interact with customers. Over 40 cat sculptures are placed throughout H Village. On the first floor of The Hyundai Seoul, large sculptures of a gray cat named 'Hey Hey' and a yellow cat named 'Hi Hi' stand 6 meters tall. Jeong emphasized, “We focused on small heroes that often go unnoticed but become a significant help in crucial moments. The alley cats assist Santa in delivering gifts, completing the Christmas miracle.”
 
In addition to enjoying the New York street scenery, visitors can indulge in food and drinks at various venues. Seven brands are participating, including the LP listening café 'Vinyl,' the pet live drawing shop 'Hound Pot,' the bakery 'Bezzly,' the beer brand 'Stella Artois,' and the candy brand 'See's Candies.' 'The Hyundai Gift' and 'HBYH' will also showcase year-end gifts.
 
Hyundai Department Store invests in creating a Christmas space as year-end events have become a key attraction for the department store. Since its debut in 2022, H Village has welcomed over 1.5 million visitors in four years. This year's advance reservations sold out within about 30 minutes. To accommodate the growing interest, a reservation service for foreign tourists will be offered. Hyundai Department Store plans to enhance accessibility for international visitors through reservations via the global travel and experience platform 'Klook' and on-site waiting registration exclusively for foreigners.
 
Jeong noted, “Hyundai Department Store's Christmas is not just about showcasing beautiful decorations or sculptures; it is about creating a space where customers can enter a world and follow a story. Each year, we create a unique brand experience through new stories and spaces.”