[Hanoi (Vietnam) = E-Daily Reporter KYUNG GYEYOUNG ] On the 9th, I visited Lotte Mall West Lake Hanoi in Vietnam. As I passed through the city center, which was teeming with motorcycles, and entered the mall, a space reminiscent of Lotte World Mall in Jamsil, Seoul, unfolded before me. Amid luxury beauty brands like Dior Beauty and global brands such as Zara and Uniqlo, local shoppers continued to flock to K-fashion and food and beverage (F&F) stores. Marking its third anniversary, the mall has gone beyond simply recreating a Korean-style shopping space to actively integrating K-brands and K-content into the daily lives of Vietnamese consumers.

Brands Line Up to Enter ‘Premium’ Shopping Mall

LOTTE SHOPPING CO., LTD.(023530)According to the company, cumulative visitor numbers have already surpassed 36 million since its opening in September 2023. This year’s sales target is 370 billion won, and the mall is on the verge of surpassing 1 trillion won in cumulative sales by the end of the year.

Lotte Mall West Lake Hanoi is more than just a shopping mall. Spanning 125,600 square meters (38,000 pyeong), it is Vietnam’s largest mixed-use complex, integrating a hotel, offices, residences, and an aquarium.

Befitting its massive scale, the lineup of tenant brands is robust. Local brands account for just over 10% of the mix—significantly lower than the roughly 50% seen at local malls like Vincom—because the mall is primarily focused on premium brands. It is the only shopping mall in the country to house all five major “SPA” (manufacturing and retail integrated) brands: Zara, Uniqlo, Muji, Pull & Bear, and Massimo Dutti. It is also home to SamsungElectronics’ fifth directly operated store worldwide, following locations in London, New York, and Tokyo.

As it has established itself as Hanoi’s premier shopping mall, inquiries from brands seeking to open stores there have been pouring in. Of the 55 brands that have newly opened stores this year, 20 are making their debut in Vietnam or Hanoi.

Nam Woo-hyun, head of the Sales Management Team at Lotte Mall, said, “Brands that have opened at Lotte Mall West Lake Hanoi have developed a premium image, and the number of brands exclusive to this location has grown from 31 at the time of opening to 85 today.”

As it enters its fourth year of operation, Lotte Mall West Lake Hanoi is seeking to reinvent itself. The strategy is to create a shopping mall that local customers will visit consistently. At the heart of this effort are K-brands.

Inside the “Matin Kim” store—a Korean fashion brand located on the second floor—the space was bustling with young locals dressed in trendy outfits. Nguyen (24), holding a shopping bag, said with a beaming smile, “I saw the news about the Matin Kim store opening on social media and came here early this morning,” as she showed the screen of her smartphone.

Starting with Matin Kim earlier this month, K-fashion brands such as Marite Francois Javer and Huayu are opening stores one after another. Construction is also in Hanchang for the K-bakery Tous Les Jours, which is set to open soon.

“NextLab,” the platform for K-fashion’s overseas expansion launched by Lotte Department Store last July, has also opened at Lotte Mall West Lake Hanoi. The pop-up events held monthly by Musent, SATUR, and No Manual attracted a cumulative total of over 10,000 customers. A Lotte Department Store official stated, “The popularity of K-fashion among young people in Vietnam has been proven, as customers in their 20s and 30s account for 80% of those visiting NextLab.”

Early next year, “Korea 360”—a government-run overseas promotion center for K-brands—is scheduled to open on the fourth floor, covering an area of 3,300 square meters. Korea360 is a multi-cultural platform showcasing K-Beauty, food, and lifestyle products linked to K-content; Hanoi will be the third location to host it, following Jakarta, Indonesia, and Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). This initiative aims to leverage the K-culture craze sweeping Vietnam as a differentiating factor for the shopping mall.

Jeong In-ho, General Manager of Lotte Mall West Lake Hanoi, stated, “Since its opening three years ago, Lotte Mall has established itself as Vietnam’s premier premium shopping mall by offering unique merchandise and marketing strategies never before seen in Vietnam.” He added, “In particular, with the opening of ‘Korea 360’ next year, we aim to become a hub for Hallyu content where K-fashion, food, and culture grow together.”

Lotte Mart Sees Sales Rise Thanks to Korean Fruits and Food Items

As I descended to the Lotte Mart on the first basement level

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a familiar aroma tickled my nose. Despite it being a weekday morning, the tables at “Yorihada Kitchen

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” the ready-to-eat food corner, were packed with locals enjoying their meals—it was hard to find an empty seat.

Locals picked up bulgogi lunch boxes and kimbap with practiced ease, while others stood in front of the “Han River Ramen Cooker,” waiting for their ramen to boil. In front of the ramen and seasoning displays, local consumers could be seen chatting as they examined packages of Korean ingredients.

The star of the fresh produce section was undoubtedly “Korean fruit.” Korean strawberries, Shine Muscat grapes, and Korean melons were neatly arranged on the premium display. Despite their higher prices compared to local fruits, shoppers continued to add them to their carts, remarking, “Korean fruit is sweet and of high quality.” In fact, fruit sales increased by 12% compared to the previous year.

A Lotte Mart store representative stated, “As ‘Yorihada Kitchen’ has established itself as a premier K-food hotspot among locals, it is driving the competitiveness of K-grocery,” adding, “We plan to actively target local consumers’ tastes by proactively sourcing not only differentiated fresh foods that build on the popularity of Korean fruits but also a diverse range of K-food items.”