Korea DAY 7: (Pt. 2) Gimpo Lotte Mall Feat. Shopping + Shake Shack

Read Part 1 HERE !

The original plan was to check in at the hotel and drop off luggage before venturing out to explore again. The day was young, and it was still early in the afternoon.

When my browsing partner refused to follow my recommendations for navigation though, we steadily deviated off course. The concept of approaching taxi driver at the airport instead of reserving a trip in advance is perpetually an ill-informed one. It is not uncommon for taxi drivers to overcharge customers by undertaking a longer route, then blaming the occurrence on a language barrier.
My stance was to venture away from the highly congested Gimpo egress corridor and catch an Uber. Only after trekking across the blazing asphalt parking lot did my browsing partner refuse to submit the Uber request, denying that drivers would be able to stop. I was enraged at the time wasted, but even more so at the sheer inability to press a button and let the local drivers do the thinking.

I downright refused to retrace my steps - why should I? - and led the way to the nearby Lotte Mall building instead.

​An elevator at the edge of the airport grounds led us to an underpass and underground mall. We then found ourselves at the Gimpo Airport branch of Lotte Mall.​

We spent some time browsing the ground floor, dragging our weighty luggage about until the handles dug into my palms. While I was eager to explore, my browsing partner voiced the need for sustenance - at the off hour of 3 o'clock no less.

​After some fifteen minutes of evaluating options, the decision lay with a traditional Korean eatery.

The Steak Hot Stone Pot arrived in record time, accompanied by a heaping tablespoon of whole grain mustard. A banchan trio of pickled onions, kimchi, and marinated bean sprouts was also provided.

Longing for ice cream as opposed to a hearty meal, I swiftly slipped away to speedwalk the shopping centre. In the first few minutes of solo exploration, the facilities were concluded to be much larger than fathomed. There were multiple floors within the building, connected by a plethora of corridors.

​Our visit had coincided with musinsa's pending grand opening (the following day) and an ongoing Haribo pop-up.

​The merchandise was kitschy, colourful, and cute - especially the terry cloth pouches! I enjoyed perusing the solid-coloured shelves, but wasn't exactly intrigued by the steep prices and packs of rigid candy.

​Shake Shack was an unexpected sighting in the midst of the retail area. From the concourse-level directory, the food court was located on the upper floors.

I took note of their exclusives, which ranged from the ShackMeister Burger to the Strawberry Blossom beverage lineup to the Forest Gimpo "Concrete". The Forest Gimpo shake, in particular, was exclusive to the Gimpo location. My browsing partner, having earned the notorious status of a fast food and carbonated drink lover, would be more invested in the selection than myself.

​Pasteur Milk Bar next door sparked my curiosity instead. The aqua-themed dessert parlour answered to my cravings of ice cream, with add-on options of matcha and espresso for a much-needed afternoon boost.

My order of Matcha & Shot Soft Serve Latte was relayed to the cashier in broken English. She presented me with a stamp card after ordering, followed by a numbered beeper. The device was intended to notify patrons of order readiness, though I questioned its need in the absence of a lineup.

Within minutes of ordering, the 6800 KRW treat was ready for pickup.

Overall, I was pleased with the taste of matcha, espresso, and vanilla soft serve in one compact concoction. But my pleasure was short-lived, as nearly half the cup was filled with ice. Besides obstructing the path towards the soft serve, the experience came to a grinding halt as the top half was depleted within seconds of departing the space. Copious amounts of ice were truly tragic.

I hadn't succeeded in venturing far before my browsing partner alerted me to return. I proceeded to excitedly share my broad-level findings, which included a nearby luggage storage locker. Locker pricing varied depending on size and duration. The "Medium" size was priced at 1000 KRW per hour, with each subsequent hour at an additional 1000 KRW. These lockers were suitable for backpacks or compact carry-ons. "Large" lockers started at 2000 KRW per hour, with each subsequent hour priced at 2000 KRW. Each Large locker could fit one standard-sized check-in luggage, with potential to house a backpack in the remaining space.

Our immediate options were before my browsing partner:
a) Take an Uber to the hotel now, drop off the luggage, and return via public transit to shop
b) Pay the small fee for luggage store and take an Uber back when we are done, since we'll end up with many bags to carry anyways

I voted in favour of the latter, since we happened to find our way here already. Furthermore, I was unwilling to waste time retracing our route. And so, three lockers were secured for temporary storage of our check-ins, backpacks, plus my carry-on.

Shopping could take place with ease from that point onwards. For the first time in a very long time, browsing felt peaceful. Lotte Mall was a luxury compared to the likes of Square One and Eaton Centre in practically every way! From the clean bathrooms, spacious corridors, prompt customer service, and superior selection of reasonably-priced goods, it was an absolute dream come true!

​One of the most repelling aspects of the average North American mall is the dreadful number of bodies sharing the same space. Navigating is difficult to start, but overpriced items and lengthy wait times further the annoyance. Repulsive bathroom stalls serve as another way of prompting customers to head home at their earliest opportunity. But Lotte eliminated these grievances, enabling even in-person shopping antis such as myself to enjoy the process. ​Of course, outlets offering instant tax refund were another noticeable perk.

My browsing partner patiently hovered by as I made my way though countless apparel stores. Then, at the late hour of 7:30 PM, I suggested supper at Shake Shack.

​Cashiers were replaced by two self-serve kiosks, which supported an English menu with the tap of a button. In evaluating the menu options, we took interest in the 50/50 (a mix of lemonade and iced tea), Double Shack Burger, and Bacon Shack. Crinkle Cut Fries, a 7000 KRW Meister Ale, and a bottle of water were tacked onto the bill as per my request.

We were mostly decisive in our selection, but couldn't ignore the overbearing stare from behind our shoulders. The lady behind us was in a terrible rush and had not bothered to hide her demeanour. From the moment we had drawn near the kiosk, her fidgeting was obvious to all those in the proximity.

Customers were instructed to take a beeper from the stack after ordering and enter its number on the screen. Although the kiosks were relatively free of residue, the beepers were grimy. The condiment station was found to be no different from its North American counterparts either, disappointingly.

​Our order was served on an aluminum tray fitted with logo-stamped liners.

​The Bacon Shack was tasty and substantial, boasting a sizable patty encased between fluffy brioche buns. Visually enticing with distinguishable constituents of leaf lettuce, pickles, tomato, and melted cheese, I slowly savoured my order as my browsing partner aggressively munched on the Double Shack.

On the other side of the table, I munched away while sneaking a few Crinkle Cut Fries here and there. Picking up the first fry rewarded me with tremendous surprise: the fry was intact but instantaneously separated upon contact. Delightfully crisp was its exterior, yet insanely plush and tender was its inside. The contrasting textures supported a wondrous dining experience, stimulating repeated visits to the fry container. Shake Shack Korea was indeed on a distinguished level when it came to deep frying.

​Frankly, I could barely recall the profile of the Meister Ale. The Crinkle Cut Fries left a lasting impression that would persist until well after our return to Canadian grounds.

​The lower level grocery section and upper level electronics section of Lotte Mall assumed our final stop before luggage retrieval.

A total of six hours had passed since the locker registration time. By the late hour of 9:43 PM, our lockers were the only trio in occupancy. My bill came to 8000 KRW per locker, so a grand total of 16,000 KRW for six hours of uninterrupted shopping. In other words, the first hour was 2000 KRW, while every two hours thereafter an additional 2000 KRW.

• Hour 0 to Hour 1, Large: 2000 KRW
• Hour 2 to Hour 4, Large: 2000 KRW
• Hour 4 to Hour 6, Large: 2000 KRW
• Hour 6 to Hour 8 (or any part thereof): 2000 KRW

Total: 8000 KRW per Large locker

The price was well-warranted, given that we had been relieved of hassle and shoulder/hand strain.

​Getting to the hotel was another mission altogether, however. Once again, my browsing partner refused to believe in my navigation directions. The luggage was dragged back and forth across several floor in search of a taxi pick-up area - again, why do you care? Let the drivers do their job and figure it out! - before my brilliant mind suggested boarding the elevator to the Lotte Hotel lobby. It was necessary to disregard the signage that the elevator was for hotel guests only, for we were merely bypassing the space in search of a path home.

​At 10:39 PM, we finally arrived in the gorgeous, spacious quarters known as The Link.

The room was beautiful, clean, and modern. Ample closet space and wide pathways between the bed and window were another noteworthy element. The remote-controlled blinds caught us by surprise - a fancy bonus.

​Of course, the bathroom wasn't shabby either! The sliding door saved space as well.
Our only gripe was the placement of the shower door hinge, as it opened away from the sink with a limited radius.