What makes a department store filled with dazzling goods shine even brighter is the heart of the employees who lovingly handle those items and care for the space. This space holds a special significance for the employees who have spent 29 years together, from the opening of the Hyundai Department Store Busan branch in Beomil-dong on August 26, 1995, until its renewal into Connect Hyundai. The same is true for Choi Jin-hee, the Director of Culture Connect, who spent her 20s, 30s, and 40s at the cultural center, creating 'Busan's culture' together with customers.

You have been working at the Hyundai Department Store Busan branch for 29 years since it opened. As a Busan native, what kind of neighborhood is Beomil-dong, where the department store is located?

I have never lived outside of Busan since I was born. Among the places there, Beomil-dong is a spot I frequently visited holding my mother's hand since I was a child. Several large-scale traditional markets, such as Busanjin Market, Busan Jayu Wholesale Market, and Nammun Market, are concentrated in Beomil-dong. A lot has changed since I was young, and it seems that many convenient facilities have sprung up in the surrounding area, especially since the opening of the Hyundai Department Store.

I am curious about the situation and atmosphere in 1995, when the Hyundai Department Store Busan branch opened.

At that time, only local department stores such as Mihwadang Department Store and Taehwa Department Store were operating in Busan, so large-scale department stores were still an unfamiliar concept. Although the Sampoong Department Store collapse in Seoul that June had left a general sense of wariness toward department stores, Hyundai Department Store opened its doors amidst great interest from local residents as it was the first of the country's top three major department store chains to enter the Busan market. The facility was large in scale, and since they were recruiting their first employees through open hiring, it also served as an opportunity to secure a job within the region. I was twenty years old when I joined, and with so many peers my age, it felt like I was back in school. Later, in 2006, it gained immense popularity as the first regional department store to feature the so-called "Big Three" luxury brands: Hermès, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel.

It seems like a lot has happened during your 29 years at the same workplace. Please share any memorable anecdotes.

Except for the first three years after joining the company, I have worked at the cultural center continuously. The most memorable moment was when Korea advanced to the semifinals of the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup. We were ordered to close the store, anticipating significantly fewer visitors; it was the first time the department store had ever been closed on a Saturday since its opening. Furthermore, since we had a fixed class schedule, we had to inform customers quickly. At the time, there was no text messaging system, so we had to call customers individually. I remember laughing together with many who said, "I wasn't planning to come anyway, so this is great." Also, the department store used to operate a shuttle bus. Like a local village bus, it would pick people up at a few designated spots and drop them off at the department store. Parents would often send only their children attending classes on the shuttle bus, and it was common to call to check on their child's arrival at the scheduled time. It was a heartwarming local atmosphere that could only be experienced back then. I also formed a precious bond. One member who used to attend ballet classes holding her mother's hand is now an adult and is teaching classes as a popular instructor at the cultural center. I think the small moments shared in our customers' daily lives are what I remember most. Also, back then, we frequently had opportunities to socialize together on our regular days off, such as going on outings or trips to the suburbs, which I think helped us bond even more. I still keep in touch with the colleagues I became close with back then. We also go on outings together with our families after getting married.

Preparing for the opening of Connect Hyundai must have been a deeply moving experience. You have worked together on the preparations for two openings; what was it like?

It seems that the process of preparing for an opening always involves a mix of anticipation and nervousness. I remember being incredibly excited back when we first opened in 1995. I was just as nervous about this renewal opening. I was overwhelmed with emotion and happiness to be a part of this space, which has grown alongside the history of Busan. However, there were some differences. Since this was our second renewal opening, I think I was able to prepare more efficiently based on my past experience. On the other hand, I also felt a sense of pressure, as expectations for me had risen and I had to take on the challenge of adapting to the new concept.

What were you most looking forward to during this renewal?

Although my main responsibilities involve planning and managing lectures, I was most looking forward to the rebirth of Connect Hyundai itself. I felt proud that we could provide a better experience for customers by combining the ideas of headquarters and ourselves to reinterpret the existing space and create new spaces and circulation paths. I believe all my colleagues feel the same way.

We plan and manage the overall lectures and content at the cultural center. We also personally recruit instructors. It seems that the Connect Hyundai renewal has had an impact on the operation of the cultural center as well.

I felt the most significant change in the age demographic of the cultural center students. Beomil-dong, where our department store is located, has long been a region in Busan with a relatively older demographic. Both shoppers and visitors to the cultural center tend to be older, but since the renovation into Connect Hyundai, registration for classes for infants and children has filled up much faster. This is proof that the number of young customers has increased.

There were big changes at the cultural center as well.

The existing cultural center has been reborn under the name Culture Connect. Our goal is to provide customers with unique cultural experiences based on a philosophy that fuses art with daily life, learning with play, and tradition with modernity. We have introduced new one-day classes and courses for children that reflect segmented tastes and trends, and we also operate experiential programs in collaboration with local art experts. The biggest change is that we have switched our existing courses, which ran on a three-month cycle, to a one-month cycle. Thanks to this, we are now able to reflect trends more quickly. We have planned numerous courses that reflect current trends, such as real estate stories by a popular investment instructor, YouTube filming, and emoticon drawing. In the case of the emoticon drawing class, we even created a separate course due to the high number of inquiries from elementary school students, even though it is a program intended for adults. Although we are busy with the increased workload of planning courses, we are preparing them with enjoyment in a lively atmosphere, engaging in diverse discussions with our colleagues.

I think there are parts that reflect the regional characteristics of 'Busan' when structuring the Culture Connect courses.

We aim to plan programs that allow customers to feel and empathize with the local character. We have conducted DIY Hanji craft classes utilizing the local specialty, urban sketching sessions depicting Busan's alleys, film story production related to the Busan International Film Festival, and special health lectures in collaboration with local hospitals. Moving forward, we intend to continue playing a role in strengthening communication between customers and the local community through these lectures.

Having engaged in extensive planning and personally experienced the feedback, I imagine you have developed your own unique perspective on 'Busan's culture.' If you were to express Busan's culture in a color, what color would it be?

Personally, I love movies very much. When you think of Busan, doesn't the Busan International Film Festival immediately come to mind? In October, the film festival, one of Busan's major events, opens, and various festivals of all sizes are held. Many people associate Busan with a cool blue, but I think a passionate red suits the city better as its color.

What kind of spaces are Hyundai Department Store Busan and Connect Hyundai to you, Manager?

It is a place I want to stay with for a long time, as it is both my first and last workplace. I have learned so much, from the way we work to how we communicate with people, and we have grown together. It is also a space that taught me what pride truly means.

Maker's Pick

3 Cultural Spaces You Can Only Find at Connect Hyundai

Greenery Lounge

A relaxation area on the second floor designed to offer a break amidst nature in the city. It features ample seating, natural light, and a variety of plants.

Mocha Plus

It is an art creation experience space for children operated by the Museum of Modern Art (MOKA). Located next to the infant and children's store on the 7th floor, it conducts exhibitions and educational programs related to painting and sculpture.

Culture Connect

You can find classes with significantly enhanced experiential cultural content tailored to the lifestyle of 'Young Families' accompanied by young children. You can receive recommendations for available courses through consultation at the 9th-floor Service Lounge located on the same floor.