SM Entertainment, Korea’s largest showbiz agency, will launch a global dining brand to make the most of the Korean pop culture wave sweeping across Asia.
According to reports, SM will open a five-level restaurant around August in the affluent area of Cheongdam-dong in southern Seoul. Each floor will serve different styles of food such as tapas, Korean, Chinese and Japanese. SM F&B, an SM affiliate, will look after the operations management.
“‘K-pop road’ and ‘Hallyu Star Road’ will be created nearby and visitors to those tourist attractions are expected to visit the restaurant,” a market observer said. SM is reportedly planning on opening several more outlets in Japan and the U.S. in the future.
This is SM’s third attempt at penetrating the food and beverage business.
In 2008, the company opened e-table, a Korean restaurant, but shut it down in 2011. In 2012, the company attempted to open a pub, Chi Mc, in a collaboration with hamburger chain Kraze, but the project was withdrawn at the last minute.
SM did not to respond to The Korea Herald’s request for comment.
By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)
