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Gangnam goes AI: Intel opens experiential PC pop-up

Published: 30 Oct. 2025, 11:23

Intel's Seoul pop-up store, located on the first floor of the Opus 407 building in Seocho District, southern Seoul, is seen on Oct. 28. The store will open to the public on Nov. 1. [INTEL]

Intel is launching a pop-up store in Seoul's buzzing Gangnam area this weekend to spotlight its latest AI PCs powered by high-performance central processing units (CPUs). Korea is the only Asian stop in its global campaign.

The Intel Seoul pop-up store will run from Saturday for a month at the Opus 407 building near Gangnam Station in southern Seoul, the company said Wednesday.

The first-floor venue will allow visitors to try out AI PCs powered by Intel chips from brands including Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics and HP.

Intel said the space features themed areas such as a “Gamer Zone” and “Creator Zone” where visitors can explore “smart AI experiences all in one place.”

Intel plans to operate similar pop-up stores in five major cities worldwide to demonstrate the performance of AI PCs using its CPUs for work, content creation and gaming. Following locations in New York, London, Munich and Paris, the Seoul store marks the campaign’s sole stop in Asia.

At a press briefing held on Tuesday, Hans Chuang, Intel’s general manager for sales and marketing in the Asia-Pacific region and Japan, said the company chose Korea for its strong AI ecosystem.

Korea is the global hub of the AI industry, Chuang said, adding that the country has consumers who quickly adopt AI technology and leading manufacturing and software partners.

Korea has the world’s highest sales volume of AI PCs powered by Intel CPUs, according to the company.

Greg Ernst, corporate vice president of Intel’s Sales and Marketing Group, introduces the company’s next-generation CPU, dubbed ″Panther Lake,″ during a press briefing for the launch of Intel's pop-up store at the Opus 407 building in Seocho District, Seoul, on Oct. 28. [LEE GA-RAM]

Intel also unveiled its next-generation CPU, dubbed "Panther Lake," in Korea for the first time. The chip, manufactured by Intel Foundry, is the world’s first semiconductor mass-produced using an advanced 2-nanometer process. It is seen in the industry as a key product for Intel to reassert its technological leadership.

Greg Ernst, Intel's chief revenue officer and general manager of the Sales and Marketing Group, showcased the Panther Lake chip during the event.

The launch is scheduled for January next year, along with plans to introduce the chip in Korea in time for the new school season, Ernst said.

Intel expect shipments in the hundreds of thousands this quarter and in the millions next quarter, he added, signaling confidence despite market speculation about low production yields.

Ernst also outlined Intel’s broader strategic direction.

Intel is the only CPU company in the world that designs and manufactures its own products, he said.

The company is expanding into new areas such as robotics, humanoids, edge devices and smart appliances through an integrated roadmap and partner ecosystem, he added.

As major tech companies like Google, Tesla, Meta and OpenAI push forward with their own AI chip development, Intel aims to reinforce its leadership in advanced semiconductors across the AI industry.

During Intel’s partner session, Hancom CEO Kim Yeon-su, Upstage Vice President Choi Hong-jun and GGQ CEO Lee Yong-su presented software collaboration projects built on Intel’s AI PC platform.

Intel's pop-up store will run for one month starting Saturday, featuring promotional events in partnership with Korean e-commerce platforms including Coupang, Gmarket and Naver Shopping.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY LEE GA-RAM [[email protected]]