[Update] SM Pop Up Store in Myeongdong [June 2013]

EDIT: The Pop Up Store is still open... for reasons that escape me. The staff said that it was closing on Sept. 30th but it didn't. Maybe this "pop up" store is going to become a permanent Everysing location? Or maybe they want to keep it open until SMTown Week? I don't even know.  

This is an update of this post here : http://cassiefied.blogspot.kr/2013/09/sm-pop-up-store-in-myeongdong-june-2013.html

Today I went back to the SM Pop Up Store. I asked the staff  & they told me that the store will close on September 30th.
Also~ Surprise surprise! They got a new TVXQ item. It comes in 2 colors: black/gray & yellow gold.
I obviously got the black/gray kind. 

SM Pop Up Store in Myeongdong [June 2013]

In the basement of the Lotte Department Store Young Plaza, SM Entertainment opened a "pop up store" to sell new SM artist merchandise on June 28th.
This is SM's 2nd pop up store and it's at least twice the size of their 1st pop up store. They opened the 1st one up in January 2013 while SNSD were promoting "I Got a Boy." This time they opened it while Exo are promoting "Wolf" and "Growl."
As you can expect, Exo had the majority of the goods. I think it's safe to say that half the store was devoted to Exo merch.
However, I believe the 1st pop up store was only open for 2... maybe 3 weeks. This pop up store has been open for 2 months. I heard that it was supposed to close on August 28th, but SM is apparently extending that to September 30, 2013. 
Also unlike the 1st pop up store, SM kept introducing new Exo merch every few weeks. So fans would keep going back for the new merch.
They added a few new things for the other groups like flip flops, travel packs, oil blotting paper, nail stickers, bookmarks, etc. but it was mostly the same merch from the 1st pop up store.
Again, Fx is always the under appreciated artist at these stores. =/ They have less merch than everyone else.

 Shinee Section

 New Exo merch... baseballs and jenga?

 Pillowcases~

 Travel Section for sleep masks, neck pillows, travel cases, etc.

 Photo Section

Super Junior M Section

 SNSD Section

 TVXQ Section

Clothing Section

 Wall Pic of Exo

 Also, wall pic of HoMin~ ^^

SM Pop Up Store in Myeongdong [January 2013]

In the basement of the Lotte Department Store Young Plaza, SM Entertainment opened a "pop up store" to sell new SM artist merchandise. Its called a "pop up store" because its only open for a week or two, so its similar to a merch event. 
SNSD had just come out with "I Got a Boy" so they had more merch than any of the other artists. Also, if you filled out a survey about your experience, you got to randomly choose a SNSD button out of a box.
This was the first SM pop up store that they held. They recently opened a second pop up store on June 28, 2013 again in the Young Plaza. There was mostly EXO merch this time, because they are promoting. However most of the HoMin merch was exactly the same. Although I can't complain, because it seems like Fx is always the under appreciated artist at these stores. =/ They have less merch than everyone else.
I saw lots of people taking pictures, but they kept telling me to stop. So... I eventually had to listen to them. I didn't get as many pics as I wanted, but I tried.

This is the TVXQ corner of the store.



You could buy pillow cases with the boys' faces, folders, notebooks, buttons, tshirts, sweatshirts, & photos.

The had a wire fence put up to help separate the store from the check out line. They had different decorations and signs on the fence.

SMTown Concert in Seoul

SM Town concert took place at the Seoul Olympic Stadium near Sports Complex station. The concert was supposed to start at 6pm, but it was a little later than that.
It started with a procession of people from around the world walking around the stadium with the SM artists.
The concert lasted about 4.5 hours. I screamed myself hoarse & felt like dying afterwards. I think it was due to dehydration. Outdoor summer concert that lasts over 4 hours without enough water = a very bad idea.
Anyway, it ended around 10:30 & 11 pm by the time we got to the station.
I really enjoyed the concert. However, my one critique would be that there was a little too much Super Junior. Don't get me wrong, I really like them. But even my ELF friends said that the SMTown concert was pretty much Super Show + other SM artists. TVXQ sang about 3 songs, Fx had 3, SNSD had 4~5, Super Junior had about 12 songs.
So, I had hoped for a little more equality between the groups.

 Blurry Changmin & Yunho

 Changmin

SMArt Exhibition

SM Ent. has been really smart in designing things for fans to do & see. They created an exhibit that was set up in Coex Mall.
When you went, you could have "pink" or "silver" access. I think pink was 25,000 won & silver was 50,000 won (about $25 & $50).
You got a couple extra free gifts & didn't have to wait as long for the exhibits.

Anyway, there was a lot of things to do & see in this space. You could look inside an SM van, you could take pictures with cardboard cut outs of your fav artist, & buy special merchandise. They also had rows upon rows of televisions playing SM music videos. 

I think the best exhibit was the Shinee Holographic Theatre Show. That was fantastic.

There was a Fanseum where they displayed different fan art

They had an SM History wall where they went through all the SM groups. They only showed TVXQ as HoMin, which some like & some don't.

 

 There was a 3D dance show with Yunho, Eunhyuk, & a couple of the girls. I forget who.

 You could take a picture with your artist as the backdrop

 A quiz about SM artists. You got a photocard of your favorite artist if you won.

After the SM Exhibit, it was off to SM Town Concert.