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Vietnam gets taste of K-culture at Lotte’s Hanoi mall

Published: 22 Sep. 2023, 17:42 Updated: 25 Sep. 2023, 11:28

SEO JI-EUN
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Vietnamese customers wait in a long line to buy 10-won bread, a bready street snack filled with cheese, that are usually sold in tourist areas of Korea, at the Lotte Mall West Lake Hanoi in Vietnam. [LOTTE SHOPPING]

HANOI — A conspicuously long queue was spotted outside one of the 233 brand shops at Lotte Mall West Lake Hanoi in Vietnam as local Vietnamese people were on the hunt for Korean foods.

A 27-year-old woman named Phuong was among them, looking for a bakery called "10-won bread," designed with a motif resembling the 10-won (1 cent) coin of Korea.

"10-won bread is popular on TikTok in Vietnam," explained Phuong who, after a successful wait, proudly posed with a bag of the dessert. "It keeps appearing, so my friend and I came to try it out."

But the 10-won bread is not alone in generating excitement. Gimbap, or Korean-style seaweed-wrapped rice roll, enjoys huge popularity as the item sells like hot cakes at the mall's food joint.

The Lotte Mall has been drawing crowds even before its official grand opening on Friday. Since its soft launch on July 28, it has already welcomed nearly two million visitors, which translates to approximately one in every four Hanoi residents.

Thu Giang, a 34-year-old, takes a selfie on the ground floor at Lotte Mall West Lake Hanoi on Thursday. [SEO JI-EUN]

K-vibe in Hanoi

While many international businesses often tap into localization strategies in foreign markets, Lotte Mall took a unique approach by staying true to its Korean roots, a successful move as Hanoi residents have since flocked to the mall.

As shoppers step into the sprawling complex — with a floor area of approximately 354,000 square meters (3,810,424 square feet), becoming the largest shopping mall in Vietnam — they are greeted by a pristine white-themed mall with vibrant K-pop hits being played like "As If It's Your Last" by Blackpink or "S-Class" by Stray Kids. The view of familiar Korean snacks and dishes, with hangeul written below some food menus, transports visitors as if they were in Seoul.

"It's my third time visiting the Lotte Mall, and the interior and design reminded me of shopping malls in Seoul like The Hyundai," said Do Hoang Lan, a Vietnamese social media influencer.

"Most Vietnamese people are familiar with the Lotte brand — it has a friendly image here," said 22-year-old Kieu Linh, shopping with her friend. "I also enjoy Korean food and dramas."

"We adopted a Koreanization strategy as our marketing strategy among the local population," Kim Joon-young, general director of Lotte Properties Hanoi, told the Korea JoongAng Daily. "Given the popularity of Hallyu, including music, here in Vietnam, introducing these elements to Lotte Mall enhances its appeal, making the mall even more attractive."

The second-floor fashion district showcases an array of Korean brands, such as Sulwhasoo, Whoo, Innisfree and Nerdy. Among them, the MLB store, which operates over 20 outlets in Vietnam, stands out as a favorite among Lotte Mall's patrons, according to a Lotte Mall official.

Vietnamese chefs make gimbap at the Yorihada Kitchen corner at Lotte Mart West Lake on Thursday. [SEO JI-EUN]

Food matters

In a bustling scene at one corner of the new Lotte Mart, located in the mall's basement, chefs diligently prepare Korean cuisine, extending the Korean influence well beyond fashion.

As customers approach the open kitchen, they witness Vietnamese chefs skillfully rolling gimbap, stirring tteokbokki in savory sauces, and expertly grilling bulgogi. Some patrons step forward to ask questions, observing dishes being prepared before their eyes. They then pick up gimbap, neatly packed in plastic, and proceed to the spacious table area, accommodating up to 180 diners. The tables are filled with customers savoring red tteokbokki served in paper bowls and enjoying gimbap served in disposable containers.

This culinary enclave, known as Yorihada Kitchen, stands out as a prominent feature of Lotte Mart West Lake. It's an open-kitchen food store that prepares and sells Korean dishes like gimbap, tteokbokki, seasoned chicken, bulgogi, alongside Vietnamese noodles and Japanese sushi, right on the spot. This concept is intended to target Vietnam's prevalent dining-out culture.

One 20-year-old patron, Minh Tiep, on his third visit to Lotte Mart, arrived with his girlfriend to purchase gimbap and tteokbokki.

"I've always liked Korean food," he shared. "Before Lotte Mall opened, I used to go elsewhere to eat, but now that the mall is here, I'm happy to be able to enjoy a wide variety of Korean food in such a spacious and clean environment."

Lotte Mart West Lake's dining corner is full with diners, mostly enjoying Korean food, on Thursday. [SEO JI-EUN]

To maintain quality, local chefs underwent a monthlong training program in Korea, while Korean food researchers reciprocated by ensuring the faithful replication of Korean flavors.

"We directly import the recipes from Korea, so it's like offering Korean cuisine in its authentic form," explained an official from Lotte Mart.

This commitment to authenticity is evident in the weekend production of over 1,000 rolls of gimbap, with tteokbokki and dakgangjeong, or deep-fried crispy chicken dish glazed in a sweet and spicy sauce, flying off the shelves.

Vietnam's relatively weaker hygiene standards were addressed through the open kitchen concept, the official said.

"Having an open kitchen helps build trust in hygiene by allowing customers to witness the cooking process directly," the Lotte Mart official said.

"Furthermore, the open kitchen system is effective as customers can take photos and place orders directly."

For food products, not only Korean brands like Bibigo and Ottogi are available, but also Korean fruits like pears, apples, and Shine Muscat, all imported directly from Korea.

Lotte Mall West Lake Hanoi also brings its entertainment expertise to the forefront.

While Korea contends with a declining birthrate, Vietnam boasts a high birthrate, attracting families seeking quality time together. However, Vietnam lacks infrastructure for children's facilities.

Champion 1250, a kids' sports facility within Lotte Mall offering over 20 play areas, including zip lines and climbing adventures, has become the top-grossing store since the mall's opening. KidZania, a children's job experience theme park, amassed over 1,000 members in three days even before its official opening on Friday.

Visitors observing the main tank at Lotte World Aquarium in Hanoi. [LOTTE SHOPPING]

Korean service ethos adopted

The mall also has an aquarium and multiplex cinema complex as it aims to turn the establishment into a destination for entertainment and shopping.

While Lotte World has a strong presence in Korea, operating theme parks, a water park, and an aquarium, its venture into Hanoi's aquarium sector marks its first international foray in this domain. The conglomerate had previously planned to establish an indoor theme park in Shenyang, China, in 2008, but the project was abandoned due to strained relations between the two countries following the deployment of the Thaad missile defense system.

"The decision to bring an aquarium to Vietnam was strategic, considering the country's average age from an entire 100 million population is just 32 years old, which is not only youthful, but also that the aquarium is not an unfamiliar domain to venture overseas," a spokesperson for Lotte World said.

A diver welcomes visitors inside the water tank at Lotte World Aquarium West Lake on Thursday. [SEO JI-EUN]

Mascots from Lotte World as well as the Vietnamese staff greeted visitors at the entrance with their characteristic waves, akin to how Lotte World's Korean staff greets guests in their homeland.

"Such a warm greeting service is relatively uncommon in Vietnam, where the concept of this level of customer service is not yet firmly established," an aquarium official said. "So, when customers experience this kind of genuine hospitality, they truly appreciate it."

Lotte Cinema, housing nine theaters with a total of 1,007 seats, includes premium theaters branded as Charlotte and two recliner theaters, where every seat is a plush recliner chair.

Charlotte not only offers a welcome drink but also provides slippers upon entry and a locker room for storing shoes.

"While Koreans might be accustomed to these services, Vietnamese patrons have not had prior exposure to concepts like welcome drinks or similar amenities in cinema spaces," according to Kim Du-jin, general manager at Lotte Cinema West Lake. "As a result, Vietnamese customers have responded positively to these considerate services."

BY SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]