So-ra met her friends in COEX, huge mall at Samsung station. They ate lunch at a Chinese restaurant and watched a movie there. Later they shopped around the stores and bought clothes. Many of you probably hang out with friends like So-ra in a large mall whish has restaurants, movie theaters and stores, and spend a whole day in one place. These days, people call this pastime ‘Malling.’
What is Malling?
Malling has spread as a new consuming trend in our society. It’s not simply shopping, which is just buying product, but includes shopping, eating out, watching movie and so on in a mall. Many words have been coined from this. ‘Mallgoear’ is a customer who always goes to a mall. ‘Mall rat’ means a male teenager or youth who spends time in the mall. ‘Mallie/Mall crawler’ refers to young women who tend to have interest in cafés, movie theater and events of a mall. Finally, ‘Mall walking’ has the meaning of walking in mall. Consumers in malls expect more than just purchasing goods, such as the cultural life, rest and convenience. That is, they want to enjoy the act of consuming.
Reason Why Malling Comes Out
The increase in consumers preferring malling is result of the growing need for one- stop shopping and entertainment. The five-day workweek has become accepted in our society, but still people don’t have enough time and want more chances to enjoy their life. They desire a total consumption place allowing them to shop, eat out and watch movie without moving from place to place.
The increasing popularity of malling reflects the changes in consumer culture. Formerly, shopping was done mostly by women who between 20 and 50; these days, malling can offer amusements to people of all ages. Department stores and outlets considered the convenience for customers but they could not provide entertainment and convenient facilities for men and women of all ages. It was beyond their capacity to satisfy people shopping with their family.
Consumers are getting smarter and they are beginning to demand a comfortable place which provides multiplex accompanied by events, exhibitions, facilities for recreation and restaurants. Besides, a mall has to be a modern establishment and be located in a place easy to get to. People want a destination where they can satisfy their desires by going to a mall, which offers convenience, pleasure, and variety. The global rise of malling has caused the emergence of multi-shopping malls in Korea.
According to a survey released by the National Statistical Office, the number of large supermarket such as Emart had, in 2005, increased 33 percent from 2001. On the other hand, the number of small markets decreased 11 percent.
Malling Trend in Other Countries
Although Korean people may not be familiar with malling, it is the global trend. Other countries in which the five-day work week had long since taken root already had many multi complex mall as consumer patterns changed. The ‘Mall of America’ in U.S.A., ‘Canal city’ in Japan and ‘Harbor city’ in Hong Kong are some of the most famous multi shopping malls. They offer many leisure services as well as shopping and culture in various ways. In Japan, the establishment of shopping malls with new concepts is appearing.
They now include business, shopping and cultural facilities. In particular, ‘Harbor city’ has seven department stores and about 700 individual shops. It is famous as the biggest consumer destination in Hong Kong, also having many theaters, auditorium, restaurants and amusement facilities. It takes three days to look around Harbor city thoroughly, and the complex attracts a lot of people from around the world who like malling.
In Korea, there are many multi malls such as Ipark mall, COEX mall and Central city. Moreover, shopping malls, which offer only a few choices such as Department stores, outlets and bookstores are trying to extend areas into multi malls. In the case of Kyobo Book Centre, ‘Hot trax’ which handles music and stationery, accounts for 30 percent of sales. In addition, national distributors are planning to establish multi-complex shopping malls by preparing theme parks and spas in developing business areas. Malling is making a new life style in Korea.
