When Hyundai Department Store reached out in August, it felt unfamiliar to us at first. An Illustar Cafe pop-up was opening at their Connect Cheongju branch, and they asked whether a cosplay crew might join on site. A department store sits in quite a different context from a subculture event, so it was hard to picture what the atmosphere would be like.
Cosplayers welcoming guests in a department store cafe
Over two days, 9–10 August, Mystic Muse took part in the Illustar Cafe pop-up at Hyundai Department Store Connect Cheongju. The role was simple: greet guests from set positions inside the cafe, take photos with those who wanted them, and let the mood build naturally.
Reactions varied as people came in. Those who knew Illustar and came on purpose were delighted. Those who had simply been shopping stopped for a moment with a "what is this?" look, and ended up taking a photo before they left. That moment of pause stayed with us. An unfamiliar sight in an unexpected place seems to keep people from simply walking past.
Meeting guests who aren't fans
What differed most from a subculture event was the background of the people who came. It wasn't only those who like cosplay or know Illustar — ordinary weekend shoppers were naturally mixed in. Families with young children, couples stopping by mid-shopping, curious guests in their middle years.
Watching our cosplayers talk easily with such a range of guests, we found ourselves thinking this calls for a rather different skill. Unlike talking with fans, putting people with no prior knowledge at ease takes another kind of sense.
Two days in Cheongju
After the event we ate together downtown and talked about all sorts of things, and that time stayed with us longer than expected. Watching how guests responded over those two days, we came to think a department store pop-up could be a good point of contact for people meeting subculture for the first time. It's a place where you can come across it naturally, without having sought it out. A low barrier to entry seems to mean something particular in a space like this.
If a similar pop-up comes along, we'd like to do it again.