Lotte World Mall and Starfield Coex Mall in Seoul, South Korea are both located south of the Han River and with their close proximity and large size, it is natural to ask, “Lotte World Mall vs Starfield Coex Mall, which one should I visit?”
Both Lotte World Mall and Starfield Coex Mall are immensely popular shopping malls to visit in Seoul. They are also just one subway station away from each other.
Here’s a quick rundown of the differences between the two malls before we wrap up with our personal opinion on which mall to visit.
Lotte World Mall vs Starfield Coex Mall
Size and Layout
Lotte World Mall is one of the largest malls in Seoul. It is no exaggeration to say that it is vast.
The shopping mall has area of approximately 555,000 square meters with seven floors of shopping and restaurants (six floors above ground and a basement level).
What you may also wish to know is that Lotte World Mall is just one in a complex of multiple buildings. It is connected to Avenue L and you can walk between the buildings at the basement levels and they are also inter-connected by sky bridges at the upper level.
Other buildings that are also interconnected and can be reached by walking along the basement levels and at street level include the Lotte Department Store Jamsil and Lotte Hotel World.
Basically, you will find yourself in the Lotte universe and there are plenty of things to shop and do. It is directly connected to the Jamsil subway station.
Starfield COEX Mall is also a large mall but it can’t really be compared in size to the enormous Lotte World Mall. It has a total floor area of about 144,000 square meters and its primary purpose is to serve the co-joined COEX Convention & Exhibition Center complex.
Shopping Experience
Lotte World Mall offers a diverse range of brands ranging from both international and local fashion brands to beauty, and lifestyle stores.
There are a number of interesting shops available at Lotte World Mall including a Studio Ghibli store and a Tamiya racing car store too.
If you are done with the shops at Lotte World Mall, you can move on to the other shopping centers in the complex such as the luxury brand oriented Avenue L or the Lotte department store.
Starfield COEX Mall has quite a number of shops and brands. However, compared to those found at Lotte World Mall, the shops here do feel more generic, as if to cater to the functional needs of the business people who are at the COEX Convention & Exhibition Center.
Entertainment and Attractions
Lotte World Mall is connected to Lotte World Adventure amusement park, which is a major attraction in itself. Visitors can enjoy various indoor rides, outdoor rides at the outdoor section of the park known as Magic Island, a folk museum, and other entertainment options within the park.
Other attractions at Lotte World Mall include an aquarium and, on a clear day, you can consider heading up to Seoul Sky, the observation deck on the 123 floor of the Lotte World Tower where you can get a view of the Seoul from 555 meters in the air.
While Starfield COEX Mall does not have a theme park, it houses various entertainment facilities, including a large multiplex cinema and an aquarium (COEX Aquarium). These attractions add to the overall appeal of the mall.
One of the biggest attractions that draws people to Starfield COEX Mall is the Starfield COEX Library.
This is an open public space filled with books at the centre of the mall.
However, most people visit the Starfield COEX Library not to read but to take pictures at the beautiful library or simply to marvel at the tall shelves filled with books. One of the most common questions people who visit are left with is how anyone can reach any of the books at the upper shelf levels.
By the way, you can’t actually borrow the books. You can only read them within the space.
There are also cafes at the Starfield COEX Library, allowing you to sit down and grab a cup and spend some time whiling away the afternoon.
Dining Options
At Lotte World Mall, diners can choose from offers an extensive range of dining options, including upscale restaurants, cafes, fast-food chains and food courts.
Seoul Seoul 3080 on levels 5 and 6 is themed to look like the streets of Seoul from different eras and it has a collection of restaurants that you can dine at, and perhaps take in the views of the neighbouring Seokchon Lake too.
Starfield COEX Mall also has wide selection of restaurants, fast food restaurants, cafes, and food courts.
However, be prepared to find it packed at meal times when the hordes of business people exit the COEX Convention & Exhibition Center in search of food or for a place for a business networking lunch. If you want to avoid the crowd, go for lunch or dinner at an earlier time around 11 am or 5.30 pm. Or you can try to make a reservation at one of the many restaurants around the mall.
Which to Visit: Lotte World Mall vs Starfield Coex Mall
If you are a tourist and only have limited time and can only visit one of these malls, our recommendation would be to head to Lotte World Mall.
Besides having more shops, we personally find the mix of shops at Lotte World Mall to be more interesting than the ones at Starfield Coex Mall. The mall’s ambiance also feels warmer and more welcoming than Starfield Coex Mall, which seems to be more slanted to the business crowd.
We also like that Lotte World Mall also has multiple entertainment options available. For example, you can do some shopping at the mall, then take advantage of the reduced price tickets to Lotte World Adventure in the afternoon before heading back to the mall again for dinner.
Lotte World Mall
Where: 300 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Website
Starfield Coex Mall
Where: 513 Yeongdong-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Website
