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sojusucks
Joined: 31 May 2008
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 Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 4:03 am Post subject: Coex Mall badly needs a makeover |
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I know that some of you have been critical of her articles but she has some good points to make, especially about Coex Mall.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2010/09/123_73637.html
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Coex Mall badly needs a makeover
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Coex Mall, touted as Asia�s largest underground shopping mall, is bound to attract many international visitors, when the G20 Seoul Summit is held in November.
Coex Convention and Exhibition Centre will be the main venue of the G20 Summit events, so it is only natural to expect visitors to check out the Coex Mall, located in the convention center�s basement.
But can Coex Mall live up to its hype of ``enjoyment beyond your imagination��?
Coex Mall is definitely big, but that might not necessarily mean better. The U.S.-style shopping mall is a virtual maze of shops, restaurants, cinemas, with some odd attractions like a kimchi museum.
While it being the biggest underground shopping mall in Asia is a quaint selling point for Coex Mall, unfortunately, it definitely makes visitors feel that they are underground.
The first thing that strikes any visitor is just how dark it is. The dim lighting is not very conducive to shopping. Coex Mall should take a cue from the department stores, which have a bright and airy atmosphere that encourages people to shop and shop some more. The food court area is the only area with lots of natural light streaming in from the pyramid-like glass roof.
With the floor area covering 85,000 square meters, Coex Mall is definitely not for people who have no sense of direction. The layout is confusing, to say the least. If you don�t have a map, good luck trying to find your way out of the shopping mall maze because even the signage for directions can be confusing.
But thankfully, Coex Mall is aware of just how confusing its layout is, and offers maps in different languages. Maps, which are available at the information counter, include a comprehensive list of all the shops, restaurants and facilities.
Throughout the mall, there are numerous interactive Coex guides with a touch-screen interface that gives clear directions to shops, restrooms, ATMs, and other information.
However, the Coex guides look similar to the LED billboards, so not a lot of people are aware of them. Even tourists might not know that the guides have four language options, Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese.
There is also an information counter, which also doubles as a place to rent strollers and wheelchairs for free.
Makeover badly needed
Coex Mall is home to over 200 stores, ranging from global brands Zara, Uniqlo, Adidas and Nike to homegrown brands, Beanpole, Codes Combine, The Face Shop and Etude House.
Despite the crowds at the mall, it often feels empty. The shops do not really offer anything unique from what one can find in the streets of Myeongdong or Dongdaemun. Indeed, many shoppers and tourists seem to opt to go shopping at the adjacent Hyundai Department Store and Lotte Duty Free shop.
There are a wide range of restaurants from fast-food chains McDonald�s and Burger King to T.G.I. Friday�s and Todai, not to mention numerous Korean, Japanese and Chinese eateries. There is also no shortage of coffee shops in the area, with Starbucks, Coffee Bean, Pascucci, Tully�s, Angel-in-us and Seven Monkeys.
However, the variety of shops and restaurants cannot mask the fact that the Coex Mall is long overdue for a makeover. The interiors look drab and old, not exactly looking like the sleek and modern mall that it positions itself to be.
The aisles are wide enough to handle the crowds at the mall. But once again, the design aesthetic is not very pleasing. One particular area inexplicably uses neon green lighting, turning everything an unflattering shade of green.
On the plus side, Coex Mall has clustered similar shops to make it easier for shoppers. Stores selling Hello Kitty, Totoro and teddy bear toys are located in one area, while independent boutiques offering women�s apparel and accessories are situated in another area.
It also does not help COEX Mall�s aesthetics when most of the space is devoted to advertising. When you go to the outdoor Millennium Plaza, you will find the place covered in billboards for Uniqlo. Even the plastic benches have logos for Whisen, while pillars are plastered with clothing brands� ads. In the middle of the plaza, there are two oversized Banana Milk replicas with benches around it.
Inside the mall is not much better. There are LED billboards on the walls and the middle of the aisles, plus pillars covered in ads once again. Plus there are promotional stalls for Nintendo Wii, Samsung Galaxy S and Motorola.
There�s nothing wrong with having billboards and posters, but it seems like everywhere one looks there�s a Samsung phone or Whisen logo screaming at one�s face.
Aside from shopping, Coex Mall also has a 16-screen Megabox cinema, Pulmuone Kimchi Museum and Aquarium.
The indoor aquarium boasts over 40,000 marine creatures, but the entrance fee (17,000 won for adults, 14,500 won for youth and 11,000 won for children) is too much to pay for the quality of its attractions.
Green enough?
Hopping on the green bandwagon, Coex Mall claims to be eco-friendly. It also touts its environmentally sound practices to reduce carbon and waste in its operations.
When one goes to the bathrooms, one will see little stickers on the soap dispenser, toilet and tissue holders. The stickers inform customers that Coex uses recycled water for its toilet facilities, provides quick-dissolving toilet paper and water-soluble soap, in consideration of the environment.
Black and pink trash bins labeled for plastic, paper and other waste are conveniently placed throughout the mall.
Located in front of the CoexArtium, there is a Piano Fountain that entertains passers-by with sprays of water coordinated to the sounds of classical music. Not many people might be aware that whenever the fountain is turned on and classical tunes are played, it serves as a filter for the fumes from the Coex Mall.
All of these efforts are admirable, but the Coex Mall does need to further upgrade its facilities and services if it hopes to become a memorable attraction for the G20 delegates and visitors in November.
[email protected]
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Louis VI
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
Location: In my Kingdom
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| Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 4:35 am Post subject: Re: Coex Mall badly needs a makeover |
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| sojusucks wrote: |
| But can Coex Mall live up to its hype of ``enjoyment beyond your imagination��? |
No, it's just an underground mall. Even the main entrances are like cave openings. The malls of Bangkok are more grandiose with their majestic entrances, vaulted central plaza areas and numerous special events.
I like Co-Ex. But it isn't structurally anything amazing and its shops are are good but not spectacular. Really, it's a decent mall but it shouldn't try to be what it isn't. Make-up isn't the answer. It just isn't built to be anything amazing. |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 5:04 am Post subject: |
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I really don't understand why anyone goes there since Times' Square opened at Yeongdeongpo. That place is as nice as Siam Paragon but with a sky garden on the top floor (and the largest cinema screen in the world - the size of a basketball court). Granted, it's not on the green line, but it's more accessible from much of Seoul than Coex is.
Check it:
http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=834090&nearBy=shopping& |
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Xaiko
Joined: 05 Oct 2009
Location: Jamsil
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| Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 2:05 pm Post subject: |
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| northway wrote: |
I really don't understand why anyone goes there since Times' Square opened at Yeongdeongpo. That place is as nice as Siam Paragon but with a sky garden on the top floor (and the largest cinema screen in the world - the size of a basketball court). Granted, it's not on the green line, but it's more accessible from much of Seoul than Coex is.
Check it:
http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=834090&nearBy=shopping& |
ahhhh so thats where the largest screen is! Ive been trying to find out but none of my adults students seem to know about it.
I never liked Coex, theres nothing special about it IMO. I only go there for the big screen theatre and always have to walk so far to find it. The aquarium is indeed overcharged~ |
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Hyeon Een
Joined: 24 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 6:05 pm Post subject: |
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COEX mall will be closed during the G20 summit for security reasons.
Well researched article.. |
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sojusucks
Joined: 31 May 2008
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| Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 2:52 am Post subject: |
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| Then why is Coex always so crowded? |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 3:10 am Post subject: |
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| sojusucks wrote: |
| Then why is Coex always so crowded? |
Because no one has found Times Square yet. I would prefer they never do. |
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optik404
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 5:41 am Post subject: |
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| Coex is crowded cause its in Kangnam. Times Square is in a crap location. |
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princess
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: soul of Asia
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| Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 3:46 pm Post subject: |
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| northway wrote: |
| sojusucks wrote: |
| Then why is Coex always so crowded? |
Because no one has found Times Square yet. I would prefer they never do. |
Well, every time I have gone to Times Square, it's been pretty crowded, so someone knows where it is, obviously...It's like anywhere else in Korea...you can't get away from crowds...I was in Gwanghwamun yesterday afternoon...a Wednesday afternoon...and there were so many people in Kyobo, I could barely walk...imagine the weekends...*shudder* whoosh...
For shopping, I still prefer Myeongdong, which is ALWAYS crowded...I believe a hurricane could be coming through there and there would still be PEOPLE...even in Incheon near my house, on a WEEKDAY, mind you...I can barely walk...where are all these people coming from??? |
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ThingsComeAround
Joined: 07 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 5:57 pm Post subject: |
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| optik404 wrote: |
| Coex is crowded cause its in Kangnam. Times Square is in a crap location. |
I beg to differ.
Times Square is in Youngdeungpo, which is accessible from lines 1,2,5 & 9, and is close to Yeouido. The neighborhood is undergoing gentrification.
COEX is only accessible from line 2, and a crappy edge of an exit at that. (who planned it?) The design of COEX is as poor as the Jacob Javits center in NY. Kangnam isn't easy to get to, and what's there isn't really worth seeing anyway. |
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Steelrails
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System
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| Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Every time I go to COEX I wonder why I even bothered. |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 7:47 pm Post subject: |
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| ThingsComeAround wrote: |
| optik404 wrote: |
| Coex is crowded cause its in Kangnam. Times Square is in a crap location. |
I beg to differ.
Times Square is in Youngdeungpo, which is accessible from lines 1,2,5 & 9, and is close to Yeouido. The neighborhood is undergoing gentrification.
COEX is only accessible from line 2, and a crappy edge of an exit at that. (who planned it?) The design of COEX is as poor as the Jacob Javits center in NY. Kangnam isn't easy to get to, and what's there isn't really worth seeing anyway. |
This. Yeongdeongpo is much more centrally located for most people. |
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Chet Wautlands
Joined: 11 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 8:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Steelrails wrote: |
| Every time I go to COEX I wonder why I even bothered. |
I wondered why I brought my family there... so did they. |
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happiness
Joined: 04 Sep 2010
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| Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 8:33 pm Post subject: |
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| coex is just like centum city in busan, built to be the "best or biggest" but its the same shit you can get anywhere else in Korea, mostly. I lived next to Coex for a year and was there alot. meh and triple meh |
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happiness
Joined: 04 Sep 2010
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| Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 8:34 pm Post subject: |
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| coex is just like centum city in busan, built to be the "best or biggest" but its the same shit you can get anywhere else in Korea, mostly. I lived next to Coex for a year and was there alot. meh and triple meh |
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