Amore Busan is a space where you can freely experience Amorepacific’s curated representative products and discover products and stories that can only be found at the flagship.
We introduce the story of the Amore flagship in Busan.
Through Thorough Prior Analysis
Amore Busan is located in the heart of Busan’s Haeundae district. It is just a five-minute walk from Haeundae Beach, a major tourist
destination that attracts over 130,000 domestic and international visitors during the peak summer season. Directly opposite Haeundae
Station is ‘Haeridan-gil,’ a trendy area beloved by Busan’s Millennial and Gen Z residents.
From the earliest planning stages, we analyzed the local commercial district by surveying foot traffic and studying surrounding businesses.
Based on this research, we defined the store’s primary target audiences: domestic travelers, foreign tourists, and local Millennial/Gen Z residents.
Following this process, Amore Busan initially opened in April 2023 as a temporary pop-up. However, thanks to the incredible interest and
support of over 20,000 visitors each month, it has now become a permanent flagship store, continuing to welcome customers in Haeundae.
MD Curation Reflecting the Vision of Amore Busan
Reflecting the unique characteristics of the Haeundae commercial district, our merchandising is structured around three key points.
Above all, our direction was to ensure that visitors could fully appreciate the store’s spaciousness and focus on each individual product.
MD POINT 1. Core Brand Products
From Amorepacific’s diverse portfolio, we carefully selected 11 key brands based on sales performance and brand focus.
The display was designed to highlight each brand’s unique characteristics while showcasing its most representative products.
MD POINT 2. Busan Special Zone
We created a dedicated space to introduce products perfectly suited for a travel destination.
Here, we gathered items ideal for travelers—such as travel kits, sheet masks, and sun care—to provide a convenient and enjoyable shopping experience.
This strategy focused on Busan’s identity as a tourist hub and correctly anticipated a high volume of domestic travelers.
MD POINT 3. EXCLUSIVE
To add to the special atmosphere of Amore Busan, we launched our first-ever collection of merchandise that tells the story of the space.
This was driven by an understanding of the MZ generation’s passion for story-driven worldviews and the demand for exclusive, collectible products.
This led to the creation of the ‘Green Heart’ merchandise collection, a unique product line that transcends cosmetics and is available only at the Amore Busan flagship.
Additionally, we introduced Busan customers to our private brands already beloved at Amore Seongsu, such as the Seongsu Toner and Brushes.
We also brought in merchandise for our IP characters, the ‘Apbadaz,’ and launched ‘Puzzlewood,’ a home fragrance that captures the unique scent of the space.
The Transformation: Creating Amore Busan
This three-story building, with a footprint of approximately 109 square meters (33 pyeong)
and a history of housing various restaurants including a popular noodle shop, has been completely
transformed. It now welcomes customers as the new Amore Busan, reborn with an entirely new look and identity.
A space filled with gifts
The store’s open-plan design allows visitors to take in the entire atmosphere at a single glance upon entering.
This lack of partitions is intentional, as all of Amore Busan’s products and content are curated under
the overarching theme of a ‘gift,’ and an open space conveys this concept more effectively and naturally.
Additionally, the cash register is strategically placed with a clear view of every corner of the store.
This allows our staff (referred to as ‘Beauty Casters’) to act as a central hub for all customer services,
including payment, gift wrapping, and sample distribution.
By situating the cash register under the main staircase, we transformed a potentially underutilized area
into the optimal command center for our Beauty Casters to manage the store and respond quickly to customer needs.
This triangular ‘dead space’ (which formerly housed a restroom) was completely redesigned using human-scale simulations.
This allowed us to accommodate a large POS system while freeing up the main floor to maximize the customer’s path for product exploration.
The ‘Green Zone,’ with its green walls and floor, is another example of strategic renovation. By retaining the existing
waterproofing sill from the previous store instead of demolishing it, we reduced costs and simultaneously created an
iconic photo spot, featuring floor-to-ceiling mirrors against a vibrant green backdrop. After opening, this area,
though part of the main space, became a beloved, visually distinct photo zone for customers.
This project was guided by a design direction of ‘selective focus’—preserving the existing building’s structure and
interior materials wherever possible to allocate resources efficiently. For instance, the former kitchen area at the
rear was converted into a warehouse for logistics and office work, minimizing movement for the Beauty Casters.
Our detailed plan included several key resource-saving measures: 1) Preserving existing tiles to reduce the need
for new self-leveling work. 2) Minimizing floor demolition by aligning the new floor height with the pre-existing
step-up from the old kitchen. 3) Using a partial ceiling overlay to minimize the use of new finishing materials. 4)
Installing MDF closets directly onto the existing sandwich-panel walls (working around electrical wiring) instead
of building new frame walls. 5) Preserving the main structure of the inter-floor staircase, removing only hazardous elements.
A Small Primeval Forest on Haeundae’s Gunan-ro
In front of the Amore Busan store, we created a small garden of approximately 10 square meters (3 pyeong) to convey, on an intimate scale,
the feelings of love for nature that our flagship stores aim to express. While most businesses on the restaurant- and café-lined Gunan-ro
use their storefronts for outdoor seating to accommodate more customers, Amore Busan wanted to offer the unique value of a garden that
provides a moment of urban relaxation.
This concept is inspired by our Amore Seongsu location, where a garden resembling a primeval forest sits in
the central courtyard of the U-shaped building. It was a bold decision at the time to dedicate such a prime
location to expressing our love for nature, and years later, the Seongsu Garden remains a beloved signature space.
For Amore Busan, the design process began in February 2023 with a search for plants that were both rare in Busan and resilient to
the coastal winds. We eventually sourced White Salix, Fountain Grass, and other evergreens from Jinan, allowing us to bring our
concept of an “unrefined, primeval garden” to life. We designed a wide entrance path that allows visitors to comfortably explore
this garden before entering the store, while a green facade seamlessly extends this natural feeling, conveying the brand universe associated with Amorepacific’s signature green.
The story of nature continues from the outdoor garden into the store’s interior. In collaboration with the local Busan brand ‘Ikebana Haus,’
we designed and installed custom botanical arrangements exclusive to Amore Busan, each capturing the essence of Busan’s sea and cityscape.
These arrangements were composed as single works of art and incorporated sustainable elements to convey a deeper message. We utilized
upcycled paper and soil, and transformed empty cosmetic glass bottles into decorative glass objects within the displays, subtly communicating our commitment to sustainability.
Glass Art Director: Jiwon Kim, Yunmi Kim
Glass Artist: Seonmin Park @re_bottle_maker
Flower Artist: Jain Paik @ikebanahaus
Captivating Wide Windows
Our design concept was based on a simple goal: to capture the attention of passersby on Haeundae’s Gunan-ro Street and draw them inside.
To achieve this, we used an expansive, open window design with all unnecessary hardware concealed. The facade was painted in a single,
eye-catching color, with our green heart symbol placed at the center of the glass to serve as a clear focal point.
Gunan-ro is a bustling and visually complex commercial street, crowded with locals, tourists, and international visitors.
Yet, on opening day, Amore Busan was exceptionally visible, especially at sunset. Most importantly, our design intent was
realized: the store’s interior was clearly visible from every angle, causing passersby to naturally stop, look, and step inside.
Amore Flagship’s Identity
We felt it was essential to create a special identity that would symbolize this new flagship space.
A new sub-logo, designed to be highly visible in the Haeundae landscape, was prominently displayed on the facade.
This logo combines sans-serif and serif typefaces to represent the diverse portfolio of Amorepacific’s brands and products.
To ensure a consistent flagship identity, a logo plaque identical to the one at Amore Seongsu—composed
of the APHQ and Aritta fonts—was installed on the entrance wall.
Amore Flagship’s Identity
We felt it was essential to create a special identity that would symbolize this new flagship space.
A new sub-logo, designed to be highly visible in the Haeundae landscape, was prominently displayed on the facade.
This logo combines sans-serif and serif typefaces to represent the diverse portfolio of Amorepacific’s brands and products.
To ensure a consistent flagship identity, a logo plaque identical to the one at Amore Seongsu—composed
of the APHQ and Aritta fonts—was installed on the entrance wall.
1. Logo
2. Check-in System
3. Brochure
4. Gift Package
5. POP Design
To accommodate all visitors, every aspect of Amore Busan’s design is multilingual. Brochures explaining
the space are available in Korean, English, Japanese, and Chinese, while all POP (Point of Purchase) displays
feature both Korean and English text. To make the diverse product colors and shapes stand out, all POPs and
digital price tags are a uniform black. In line with the store’s ‘gift’ theme, we also developed a unique
gift packaging system that allows customers to freely select and combine a variety of products.
On the wall shelves, products from the 11 selected brands are displayed to highlight
their unique identities, organized under the broad categories of Skincare, Shower, and Makeup.
Unconventionally, makeup products are grouped by brand rather than by category, allowing each brand’s unique personality to shine.
In the center of the store, tables of varying heights are arranged, each with a specific purpose to make product testing convenient.
The store’s fixtures are a palette of green, silver, and ivory, with display elements matching
the shelf colors to create visual impact while keeping the focus on the products. Large mirrors and
decorative metal spheres are placed throughout the space, creating fun selfie opportunities from any angle.
The first floor is dedicated to product curation and operates with an autonomous check-in policy.
This minimizes congestion while allowing us to gather customer behavior data. A ‘Sample Market,’
offered as a benefit for checking in, encourages voluntary participation by allowing visitors to
select new samples each day. While the first floor focuses on showcasing brands and products,
the second and third floors are dedicated to brand experiences and exhibition content.
3rd Floor Story A
The third floor, accessed by an elevator, is a collaborative project with ‘Story A,’ the exhibition space of the
Creative Center’s Next Space Team. We anticipate that its constantly changing exhibitions will encourage repeat visits from customers.
▴ YUHAENGHWAJANG
▴ HealingTimes
2nd Floor Gallery
Descending the stairs to the second floor, visitors discover the ‘Gallery,’ a dedicated space for brand pop-ups.
Originally conceived as the conceptual ‘Green Room,’ this area has been renovated to accommodate a wider range of
brand content and is now open to customers. The Gallery was designed with simple yet bold elements to allow for
easy transformation, making it an ideal collaborative space for various brands. Even when a specific pop–up is
not running, the space continues to provide visitors with diverse and engaging content.
From its initial planning, the space was designed to be an autonomous, unmanned experience that customers could enjoy freely.
It features a dedicated selfie zone for capturing memorable photos and continuously plays our popular ‘Healing Times’ videos,
which have over one million subscribers. To complement the visuals, we incorporated Bang & Olufsen’s iconic A9 speaker.
This provides not only a high-quality auditory experience but also adds to the sophisticated visual atmosphere, allowing
visitors to forget their thoughts for a moment and simply relax, appreciating the experience through sight and sound.
From its initial planning, the space was designed to be an autonomous, unmanned experience that customers could enjoy freely.
It features a dedicated selfie zone for capturing memorable photos and continuously plays our popular ‘Healing Times’ videos,
which have over one million subscribers. To complement the visuals, we incorporated Bang & Olufsen’s iconic A9 speaker.
This provides not only a high-quality auditory experience but also adds to the sophisticated visual atmosphere, allowing
visitors to forget their thoughts for a moment and simply relax, appreciating the experience through sight and sound.
AMORE BUSAN
Busan Haeundae-gu Gunan-ro 36
1F
Store
A retail space where you can freely experience a curated
selection of Amorepacific products and discover items exclusive to the flagship.
2F
Gallery
A dynamic pop-up space that tells compelling stories embodying a brand’s core values.
3F
Story A
An exhibition space for extraordinary experiences, featuring a new and compelling theme each month.
Rooftop
A rooftop offering panoramic views of Haeundae’s Gunan-ro.
Busan Haeundae-gu Gunan-ro 36
“What do we want visitors to feel when they experience Amore Busan? How should they perceive this space?”
Although each floor and its content has a distinct character, every element was planned with a singular
focus on the ‘customer experience,’ and we dedicated significant effort to our integrated communication strategy.
The first floor is a curated retail space focused on Amorepacific’s core products, embodying the
flagship’s worldview. The second floor is a gallery that tells brand stories through a variety of
pop-up content, while the third floor, ‘Story A,’ offers a rich cultural and artistic experience through rotating exhibitions.
The entire building, from the welcoming garden at the entrance to the rooftop, was designed
as a multi-functional cultural complex. Our goal was to create a cohesive and expansive flagship
experience where visitors could fully immerse themselves in a single, unified brand message.
Epilogue
When we were planting the garden in front of Amore Busan, we were told it would take
six months for the plants to truly settle in. We cared for them diligently, hoping they would
stabilize and eventually bloom. Then, just a few days before I wrote this,
I received a photo from our Beauty Casters on-site. The caption read:
“White flowers are blooming on the White Salix.”
Memories of the entire process flashed through my mind: planting the trees, spreading
and compacting the soil, transplanting the moss, placing stones to protect against the
sea wind, and watering everything thoroughly to help it thrive.
In that moment, our brand’s worldview of “telling a story of love” felt truly authentic.
The store opened on April 1, and the design work had begun back in February—a time when winter’s chill had ended, but before the leaves had started to sprout.
We searched far and wide across Yangjae Flower Market, Gyeonggi-do, and Jeolla-do to find plant species resistant to sea winds—plants rarely seen in Busan.
Fortunately, we found them in Jinan, Jeolla-do. With White Salix, Beardtongue, and Evergreens sourced from there, we were able to design a terrace for the Busan site.
It has now been just a month since the opening. When transplanting the plants, we were told, “The first six months are crucial.
If cared for and nurtured with love, they will settle in and eventually bloom.” Just five days ago, we received photos from the
staff on-site—showing the White Salix in bloom. At that moment, memories returned: planting the trees, spreading and packing the soil,
transplanting moss, placing stones to withstand the sea wind, and drenching the ground with water. Seeing how quickly the plants had taken root,
I felt a deep sense of sincerity in our worldview of “speaking about love.”
Amorepacific Creatives
Restore Business Team
Design
Sangjae Yi 이상재, Noah Shin 신노아, Jeongsik Shin 신정식
Sangjae Yi 이상재
Noah Shin 신노아
Jeongsik Shin 신정식
Hyunhee Kim 김현희
MD 기획/운영
Soonho Bae 배순호, Duhyeon Kang 강두현, Jungran Park 박정란
Soonho Bae 배순호
Duhyeon Kang 강두현
Jungran Park 박정란
Lee Choi 최리
Jinju Park 박진주
Lee Choi 최리, Jinju Park 박진주
경험요소 기획
Heesun Shin 신희선, Shinhee Lee 이신희, Seungjin Kim 김승진
