Lamseen – Residents of Seoul, South Korea, are enduring an exceptionally hot summer this year. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) has reported a new record for tropical nights, with the 37th consecutive night occurring on the evening of Friday, August 23, 2024.
This is the highest number of such nights record in a single year since modern meteorological observations began in the city in 1907. A tropical night is defined as a night when temperatures remain above 25 degrees Celsius from 6:01 PM until 9:00 AM the following morning.
The heatwave is expect to persist through Sunday morning across most regions, with daily high temperatures ranging between 33-35 degrees Celsius, according to the KMA. Yonhap reported on Sunday, August 25, 2024, that the previous record was 36 days set in 1994.
This intense summer heat has had a positive impact on air-conditioned shopping malls. Large malls in cities have become popular destinations for residents, with many spending several hours there, even into the evening.
According to South Korea Times, visitor numbers at major malls have increased by 10 percent this month compared to last year, with evening visits rising by 20 percent. Lotte Department Store and Lotte Outlet saw a 10 percent increase in visitors from August 1 to 20, 2024, compared to the same period last year. Lotte malls have experienced higher foot traffic from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM local time compared to earlier hours. Report a 20 percent increase in evening pedestrian traffic compared to last year.
Shinsegae, including its department stores, and Starfield malls nationwide have also reported an average visitor increase of 5.5 percent this month compared to the previous year. Additionally, sales at these locations rose by 4.9 percent year-over-year.
Visitor numbers at Starfield Hanam in Gyeonggi Province increased by 9.6 percent this month compared to last year, reaching 1.45 million. On average, this mega mall attracts 55,000 visitors on weekdays and 105,000 on weekends.
Shinsegae has also seen busier evening hours this month. Sales at Shinsegae Department Store rose by 5.6 percent between 6 PM and 8 PM compared to last year.
At the House of Shinsegae, a high-end food court at the main department store in southern Seoul, more than half of the sales occur after 5 PM. Additionally, at E-Mart Traders, a warehouse shopping chain under the conglomerate, visitor numbers and sales surged by 8 percent and 6 percent, respectively, from 6 PM to 8 PM compared to last year.
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Nighttime shoppers have also flocked to Hyundai Department Store locations nationwide. This month, visits to these stores increased by 22.5 percent from 6 PM to 8 PM compared to last year. During these hours, total sales rose by 8.7 percent, with food and beverage sales seeing an 18.8 percent increase compared to the previous year.
“The ongoing extreme heat has led to more customers visiting our locations, resulting in a balanced increase in both visitor numbers and sales,” said an industry official. “We have observed more visitors dining and shopping late into the night.”
Temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius have also boosted sales of home meal replacement (HMR) products and other ready-to-eat foods, as people increasingly prefer to avoid cooking in the heat. E-Mart reported a 43 percent increase in microwave meal sales this month compared to the same period last year, while frozen food sales rose by 11 percent. Lotte Mart also saw a 5 percent increase in sales compared to last year.
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