E-Mart will introduce a multipurpose shopping complex representing northeastern Seoul for the first time. E-Mart said it will renovate its Wolgae store in Seoul's Nowon district and reopen it on Aug. 27 as Starfield Market Wolgae.

The Wolgae store is the fifth Starfield Market and the first in Seoul. It is the first case combining E-Mart, Traders and various tenants in one space. The sales area is 6,590 pyeong. It opened in 2004 and underwent a large-scale renovation in 2020. The store was fully reorganised under the concept of an "Young Family Community Market" targeting family customers in their 30s and 40s.

On the central part of floors 1 and 2, it created rest and cultural spaces linking "Sunlight Square", "Book Ground" and "Kids Ground". The related space was expanded to about 180 pyeong, and "Book Ground" was created on 157 pyeong. Kids Ground was divided into two areas by age, with a reading space for children aged 3 and older and a play space for infants and toddlers. Nearby, it placed "Starbucks", "Youngpoong Bookstore", "Champion Kids Cafe" and "Elephant Food Court" to build a flow of movement that continues to the culture centre and a baby lounge.

It replaced or rearranged about 80 percent of its food and beverage brands. "Ashley Queens", "Shima Sushi", "Seocheong Miyeok", "Soy Yeonnam" and "Elephant Food Court" moved in. Inside the grocery store, it set up a 50-pyeong zone gathering No Brand products. In October, a 100-pyeong specialty section for the ultra-low-priced household goods store "Wow Shop" is set to open. The Olive Young store on the first floor was expanded to 120 pyeong, three times its previous size, while the second floor houses "Shinsegae Factory Store", "Decathlon" and "ABC-Mart". In November, "Uniqlo" and "Muji" of more than 300 pyeong are set to open additionally.

E-Mart has expanded Starfield Market from its Jukjeon store in 2024 to its Ilsan, Dongtan and Gyeongsan stores in 2025. Sales at the four Starfield Market stores rose 28 percent year on year in the first half of this year. Over the same period, E-Mart's overall sales growth rate was 2.7 percent.

An E-Mart official said Wolgae, which has grown into a key store representing Seoul, has raised offline competitiveness by one more level through the renovation into a Starfield Market that embraces both E-Mart and Traders. The official said E-Mart will work to develop it, as Seoul's first Starfield Market, into a space where all family members can enjoy culture and relaxation in daily life beyond grocery shopping and shopping, so it can establish itself as a landmark representing northeastern Seoul.