Rsquare connects all types of commercial real estate through its extensive building database, including the retail sector. The Retail Team helps clients across various industries like F&B, fashion, educational centers, hospitals, and pop-up stores by analyzing business districts to find the perfect location
Recently, the team successfully helped a famous international coffee brand open its first flagship store in Korea. We spoke with Yeon-Joo Wi, a senior member of the Retail Team, to hear more about their achievements.
Yeon-Joo Wi, a senior member of the Retail Team
R: Could you introduce yourself?
Wi: I joined Rsquare in 2022, starting with support roles on the Retail Team. In the second half of last year, I transitioned into sales. Our Retail Team handles leasing deals for F&B, fashion, educational centers, hospitals, pop-up stores, and more.
R: You've recently had some big wins. Congratulations! Could you tell us more about them?
Wi: In July, we closed deals with the Korea Anti-Drug Campaign Headquarters and Fuglen's first flagship store in Korea.
The Anti-Drug Campaign Headquarters has been setting up branches across Korea for drug prevention education. Since the end of last year, we’ve handled lease agreements for eight branches in Seoul, Incheon, Ulsan, Gwangju, and other regions. Convincing landlords was challenging due to the stigma around drugs, but it was a great learning opportunity for me.
R: How did you convince the landlords?
Wi: I focused on explaining the purpose behind the Anti-Drug Campaign Headquarters and why they were establishing education centers. We also visited potential sites in person, showing examples of existing centers to reassure them.
R: You also help find locations for pop-up stores, right?
Wi: Yes, we’re seeing a growing demand for pop-up stores. One notable deal involved a luxury cosmetics pop-up in Seongsu, which our team leader secured. The client wanted a unique location that had never been used for a pop-up before, which was quite challenging because large spaces available for short-term leases are limited.
R: Can you share more about your work with Fuglen's flagship store?
Wi: We secured Fuglen's first flagship store in Korea, located near Sangsu Station, in a space of about 30 pyeong (approximately 100 sqm). The building has the same standalone house feel as Fuglen’s Shibuya store in Tokyo. Fuglen is one of the top three coffee brands in Scandinavia and is well-known internationally. In Japan, they operate stores in Shibuya, Fukuoka, and Asakusa. This is a brand that anyone who has traveled to Japan will know.
The biggest challenge was deciding where to place the first flagship store to give the brand the best introduction to Korea. The desired location wasn’t clear at first, so we worked closely with the client to narrow down the options. As our team leader often says, "Keep thinking and strengthen your thinking muscles."
After exploring many options, we landed on Sangsu, an area known for its unique shops. The fact that our team handled the deal for Fuglen’s first store in Korea made it even more special.
R: Why did you choose Sangsu instead of more mainstream areas like Dosan or Hannam?
Wi: Fuglen didn’t want to open in major commercial areas like Dosan, Hannam, or Seongsu. They preferred a quieter, more unique location with standalone houses and interesting architecture. After narrowing it down, Sangsu was the perfect fit, and the client was very satisfied.
R: We look forward to more of your success in the future. Any final thoughts?
Wi: These recent deals were made possible with the help of my team leader and colleagues. As part of the Retail Team, I want to continue being a valuable and helpful team member. Our team leader, Yoon-Seon Jung, once said, "I hope we all become successful," and I want to contribute to that. Personally, I aim to become the agent with the most returning clients. I don’t want to just help with the first store; I want clients to trust me to handle their second, third, and future stores as well.
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Rsquare connects all types of commercial real estate through its extensive building database, including the retail sector. The Retail Team helps clients across various industries like F&B, fashion, educational centers, hospitals, and pop-up stores by analyzing business districts to find the perfect location
Recently, the team successfully helped a famous international coffee brand open its first flagship store in Korea. We spoke with Yeon-Joo Wi, a senior member of the Retail Team, to hear more about their achievements.
Yeon-Joo Wi, a senior member of the Retail Team
R: Could you introduce yourself?
Wi: I joined Rsquare in 2022, starting with support roles on the Retail Team. In the second half of last year, I transitioned into sales. Our Retail Team handles leasing deals for F&B, fashion, educational centers, hospitals, pop-up stores, and more.
R: You've recently had some big wins. Congratulations! Could you tell us more about them?
Wi: In July, we closed deals with the Korea Anti-Drug Campaign Headquarters and Fuglen's first flagship store in Korea.
The Anti-Drug Campaign Headquarters has been setting up branches across Korea for drug prevention education. Since the end of last year, we’ve handled lease agreements for eight branches in Seoul, Incheon, Ulsan, Gwangju, and other regions. Convincing landlords was challenging due to the stigma around drugs, but it was a great learning opportunity for me.
R: How did you convince the landlords?
Wi: I focused on explaining the purpose behind the Anti-Drug Campaign Headquarters and why they were establishing education centers. We also visited potential sites in person, showing examples of existing centers to reassure them.
R: You also help find locations for pop-up stores, right?
Wi: Yes, we’re seeing a growing demand for pop-up stores. One notable deal involved a luxury cosmetics pop-up in Seongsu, which our team leader secured. The client wanted a unique location that had never been used for a pop-up before, which was quite challenging because large spaces available for short-term leases are limited.
R: Can you share more about your work with Fuglen's flagship store?
Wi: We secured Fuglen's first flagship store in Korea, located near Sangsu Station, in a space of about 30 pyeong (approximately 100 sqm). The building has the same standalone house feel as Fuglen’s Shibuya store in Tokyo. Fuglen is one of the top three coffee brands in Scandinavia and is well-known internationally. In Japan, they operate stores in Shibuya, Fukuoka, and Asakusa. This is a brand that anyone who has traveled to Japan will know.
The biggest challenge was deciding where to place the first flagship store to give the brand the best introduction to Korea. The desired location wasn’t clear at first, so we worked closely with the client to narrow down the options. As our team leader often says, "Keep thinking and strengthen your thinking muscles."
After exploring many options, we landed on Sangsu, an area known for its unique shops. The fact that our team handled the deal for Fuglen’s first store in Korea made it even more special.
R: Why did you choose Sangsu instead of more mainstream areas like Dosan or Hannam?
Wi: Fuglen didn’t want to open in major commercial areas like Dosan, Hannam, or Seongsu. They preferred a quieter, more unique location with standalone houses and interesting architecture. After narrowing it down, Sangsu was the perfect fit, and the client was very satisfied.
R: We look forward to more of your success in the future. Any final thoughts?
Wi: These recent deals were made possible with the help of my team leader and colleagues. As part of the Retail Team, I want to continue being a valuable and helpful team member. Our team leader, Yoon-Seon Jung, once said, "I hope we all become successful," and I want to contribute to that. Personally, I aim to become the agent with the most returning clients. I don’t want to just help with the first store; I want clients to trust me to handle their second, third, and future stores as well.