K-Pop Nara opens expanded flagship in Koreatown, marking new era for fan community | amNewYork

"K-Pop Nara officially opened its new, expanded location in Koreatown this past week, marking a major milestone for the beloved local shop and the K-pop community it serves. Hundreds of fans gathered throughout the weekend from Jan. 30 to Feb. 1 to celebrate the opening and the store's EXO-themed pop-up at 1237 Broadway. The festivities included freebies such as stickers, scratch cards, tote bags, and exclusive sales."

"Long rooted in the heart of K-Town, K-Pop Nara has grown from a small mom-and-pop shop into a national retail chain spanning 10 cities. What began as a simple dream for founder Lina Yi in her hometown of Southfield, Michigan, has evolved into a nationwide enterprise with locations in New York, Seattle, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Michigan, New Jersey, Orlando, and Woodfield. Yi told amNewYork that K-Pop Nara was created to share Korean culture and provide a welcoming community for fans."

"When people started coming to the shop from all over the United States, I realized the K-pop community was really underserved, Yi said. K-Pop Nara opened its first New York location in a small space at 32nd Street and Broadway, but as the genre exploded, driven by groups like BTS, Big Bang, EXO, and others, Yi knew that New York City's cultural melting pot needed a larger, more immersive destination. On Jan. 30, Yi proudly unveiled the new flagship space, designed to host photocard trading events, artist signings, meet-and-greets, exclusive albums, and merchandise."

K-Pop Nara opened an expanded flagship in Koreatown with an EXO-themed pop-up at 1237 Broadway and weekend celebrations from Jan. 30 to Feb. 1. Hundreds of fans attended and received freebies such as stickers, scratch cards, tote bags, and exclusive sales. The brand grew from a small mom-and-pop in Southfield, Michigan, into a national chain spanning ten cities including New York, Seattle, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Michigan, New Jersey, Orlando, and Woodfield. Founder Lina Yi created K-Pop Nara to share Korean culture and build a welcoming community. The new flagship hosts photocard trading, artist signings, meet-and-greets, exclusive albums, merchandise, and a Photoism photobooth partnership.

Read at www.amny.com