SHIRO to Open 'SHIRO LOTTE DEPARTMENT STORE PYEONGCHON' at Lotte Department Store Pyeongchon, South Korea on June 23, 2026

SHOP IMAGE｜SHIRO LOTTE DEPARTMENT STORE PYEONGCHON

On Tuesday, June 23, 2026, SHIRO will open its fourth store in South Korea, 'SHIRO LOTTE DEPARTMENT STORE PYEONGCHON,' on the first floor of Lotte Department Store Pyeongchon, located in the heart of Anyang City.

Pyeongchon is a sophisticated bedroom town near Seoul, home to residents who value healthy, mindful living—a beautifully breathing 'town of everyday life.' Designed as a place where locals can casually drop by and discover daily essentials, the store will offer a curated selection of skincare, makeup, fragrances, and home goods that enrich everyday living.

Connecting Japanese Philosophy: Sustainable Craftsmanship in Korea

Since opening SHIRO Seongsu, its first street-level store in Korea in April 2025, SHIRO has deepened its understanding of Korean culture through continuous fieldwork with each new store opening. The brand has gradually expanded its exploration beyond Seoul. During one such visit to Bukchon, an area still rich in traditional Korean houses (hanok), SHIRO encountered hanji (Korean paper). In Korea, hanji transcends being just paper—it has historically been used as a structural material in homes due to its strength, breathability, and thermal insulation. However, demand for hanji has declined with modernization. Seeking authentic materials, SHIRO visited artisans in Jeonju, learning about the production process and differences from Japanese washi. There, they heard a craftsman say, 'It makes sense to use hanji as a finish for furniture, and above all, continuing to use it is how we preserve tradition.' This resonated deeply, inspiring SHIRO to adopt hanji as a key material for store design. In Japan, SHIRO has long collaborated with artisans across industries, conveying their sincere respect for nature through product and space design. This new encounter in Korea has further expanded SHIRO’s creative imagination.

Store Material 01｜Hanji (Korean Paper): 'The Paper That Lives a Thousand Years'

Hanji is also known as 'Baekji' (Hundred Paper), symbolizing that '99 hands of craftsmanship touch it before it reaches the 100th hand—the user.'

The process begins with harvesting mulberry (kozo) branches, stripping the bark, pounding it, and manually removing impurities. Only after this painstaking preparation can beautiful white paper be formed. This work is a testament to reverence for nature and unwavering patience.

Many stages of hanji production remain difficult to mechanize, with numerous steps still completed entirely by hand. It is not merely papermaking, but a craft built on accumulated time and sensory expertise.

Hanji dyed with locust (enju) flower buds—a natural dye—gains enhanced strength and insect resistance. Initially pale, the paper gradually deepens into a rich amber hue over time, revealing its evolving beauty.

For this project, SHIRO participated in the papermaking process—tearing fibers by hand, layering them, and finishing the surface to highlight the material’s natural texture. While inherently strong, the hanji is further treated with dye to improve preservation. This dyeing process, described as 'transferring the life of plants onto paper,' is itself a result of time and artisan skill. It is through such meticulous steps that hanji earns its name as 'the paper that lives a thousand years.' These dyed hanji sheets are joined together and applied to fixture sides and cabinet doors—used not just for beauty, but as a durable, functional material. SHIRO hopes this initiative will inspire new applications for hanji, ensuring this cultural heritage endures through changing times.

(Left & Center) Softening kozo branches by steaming, then carefully peeling off the outer bark by hand while still warm—a labor-intensive task often done in freezing winter, requiring finger strength and endurance. (Right) Dyeing hanji with natural pigments at a workshop in Jinju.

Store Material 02｜Mokshim (Paper Mulberry Core): Waste Material Transformed

After harvesting the bark of the paper mulberry (kozo) for hanji, the leftover inner core—known locally as 'mokshim'—remains. Traditionally, this material was reused as fuel, reflecting a culture of zero waste. Today, surplus mokshim is often treated as industrial waste.

The beautiful textured sides of the product counters are made from this very material—stacked in hanji workshops as a byproduct of traditional papermaking. After stripping the bark of kozo, the core is typically discarded or burned. Yet this material is remarkably lightweight and gains high strength when dried. Exposed core fibers also function as a natural filter, absorbing humidity and odors. The smooth, hand-peeled surface reveals subtle natural textures and residual fibers, creating organic shadows when lit. Preserving the raw wood texture, the pieces are vertically aligned, embracing their natural curves and non-uniform shapes. Assembled without adhesives, they are carefully designed to honor the artisan’s handwork. These mokshim elements are reborn as counter fixtures—a tribute to craftsmanship. This space embodies the harmonious resonance between Korea’s traditional wisdom of sustainable reuse and SHIRO’s philosophy of mindful creation. We invite you to experience this cross-cultural dialogue.

Store Material 03｜Reusing History: Wooden Pallets from THE HYUNDAI SEOUL Pop-Up

As part of SHIRO’s zero-waste initiative, store construction avoids virgin materials. Instead, creativity is applied to repurpose scrap and discarded materials, and existing fixtures are reused to avoid disposal and new production. Fixtures are installed without metal fasteners, anticipating future recycling and reuse.

In December 2025, SHIRO challenged 'borrow, return, and do not discard' at a pop-up store in THE HYUNDAI SEOUL, transforming discarded wooden pallets into the main counter to welcome visitors. These same pallets will be reused in the Pyeongchon store, giving them a new chapter in their history. SHIRO remains committed to responsible creation and future-oriented store design.

Transport wooden pallets, found broken and piled on the roadside in a printing district of Ulsan.

Fixtures from the one-week pop-up store held at THE HYUNDAI SEOUL from December 11, 2025, which challenged 'borrow, return, and do not discard.'

PARTNER｜Store Design

Koshiro Ogura of DRAWERS, the design firm behind the store, pursues beauty and functionality while emphasizing 'the responsibility of making.' His work focuses on future-conscious product and spatial design. Korea 'SHIRO LOTT