Lotte Department Store Busan Opens Its First ‘Fandom Space’

As of October 28, 2026, Lotte Department Store will open 'Fandom Space,' its first dedicated IP (intellectual property) zone, on the basement level of its Busan flagship on Oct. 30. The 540-pyeong (about 1,785 sq. m, or roughly 19,200 sq. ft.) space packs figure, character, game and anime shops under one roof, and Lotte plans to take the model to other stores.

540 pyeongSize of Busan IP zone (about 1,785 sq. m)

7Opening pop-up stores

About 15%Rise in sales from customers in their 20s-30s at Busan store (Jan.-Sept.)

45.9%Rise in foreign visitors to Busan (Jan.-Aug.)

Key points

Fandom Space occupies the first basement floor of Lotte's Busan flagship, covering 540 pyeong (about 1,785 sq. m).
Japan-linked IP stores moving in include Animate, the Bandai Gashapon Official Shop, Ichiban Kuji and San-X.
Sales from shoppers in their 20s and 30s at the Busan store rose about 15% through September versus a year earlier, which helped drive the site choice.
Lotte plans to expand Fandom Space to other locations, including Lotte World Mall in Jamsil, Seoul.

Lotte Department Store said on the 28th that it will open an 'IP zone' on the first basement floor of its Busan flagship on Oct. 30. It's called FANDOM SPACE and spans 540 pyeong (about 1,785 sq. m). Subculture goods and fan culture that used to be scattered by genre now live in one place, designed as somewhere like-minded fans can hang out, not just shop.

The lineup includes Animate, which sells Japanese manga and anime goods and books; the Bandai Gashapon Official Shop, stocked with capsule toys; Ichiban Kuji, known for its prize-lottery format; and San-X, the Japanese character brand. Model kit and figure specialty shops are coming too, and the Nintendo store will have a hands-on area for trying games. To mark the opening, seven pop-up stores will launch in the basement's dedicated pop-up area, including the 'One Piece Mugiwara Store,' 'Harry Potter Mahou-dokoro' and a 'LaLiga Webtoon' shop. The One Piece store is a first for Busan, and the character Shin-chan returns to the city after two years.

There are interactive events, too. From Oct. 30 to Nov. 1, shoppers can join a stamp tour: complete three missions (make a purchase, post on social media and check in at a store) to enter a prize draw where every ticket wins. On weekends, costumed mascots of popular characters such as Bangumi and Rilakkuma will pose for photos, and a giant Shin-chan balloon photo zone goes up on the ninth floor. On Nov. 8 at 2 p.m., the finals of a cosplay challenge will feature entrants who made it through online qualifiers.

Lotte gave two reasons for picking Busan for its first zone. One is the growing number of customers in their 20s and 30s at the Busan store: sales from that group rose about 15% through September compared with the same period last year. The other is that the city hosts big content events like an international film festival and a gaming expo. According to Busan city data, about 3.43 million foreign tourists visited through August, up 45.9%, or nearly half, from a year earlier. Store manager Jin Seung-hyun said the plan began when the team saw young shoppers spending on fandoms.

In Korea right nowKorean retail watchers see the opening as part of a shift: department stores are trying to turn from places that sell things into places where people linger. Lotte pointed to higher sales among shoppers in their 20s and 30s and rising foreign tourist numbers, and it hopes pop-ups and hands-on events will bring people back more often. How fast the concept spreads to other stores, such as Lotte World Mall in Jamsil, will likely depend on how the Busan site performs.

FAQ

When and where does Fandom Space open?

It opens Oct. 30 on the first basement floor of Lotte Department Store's Busan flagship. The space covers 540 pyeong, or about 1,785 sq. m.

What kinds of stores will be there?

Shops include Animate (Japanese manga and anime goods), the Bandai Gashapon Official Shop, Ichiban Kuji, San-X, model kit and figure specialty stores and a Nintendo store. Seven opening pop-up stores will also run.

Will other Lotte locations get one?

Lotte says it plans to use the Busan store as its first model and expand to places like Lotte World Mall in Jamsil. No timeline has been announced.