uage of a spaceship. It is part futuristic lab, part art museum, a visual manifesto of llcombined’s philosophy that retail must provoke as much as it sells. Haus Nowhere Seoul is home to llcombined’s ecosystem of five brands – Gentle Monster, Tamburins, Atiissu, Nudake and Nuflaat, the company’s brand-new name in the tableware sector. The central theme ‘The Future Returned’ connects every installation and architectural gesture. Think robot-human hybrids, kinetic sculptures, and surreal displays that blur the line between physical and digital, human and machine. Across the street stands the striking outdoor installation ‘More is More’ created by Namibian-German multidisciplinary artist Max Siedentopf. Commissioned by Gentle Monster, the work depicts a hyper-real elderly man clutching a shimmering gold bag as he surveys a sea of black plastic bags – an allegory for rediscovering value and meaning amid the ordinary. The company says this theatre-acting art scenery cites the beauty of finding meaning in unexpected places. The installation is also currently on view in Seoul, Dosan, Shanghai and Shenzhen. The centrepiece, a life-sized animatronic dachshund co-created with Siedentopf, breathes and moves with startling realism. Beside it, the Sunshine AI Twin Look photo booth uses artificial intelligence to match the visitor’s outfit to Sunshine’s metallic ensemble, producing a whimsical keepsake that merges human emotion with machine learning. The campaign extends Tamburins’ olfactory storytelling, showcasing two new fragrances: the musky, powdery Puppy and the bright, citrusy Sunshine, available in perfume, hand cream and bone-shaped diffuser forms. The second floor is dedicated to Gentle Monster, where the eyewear label’s 2025 Bold Collection, fronted by Tilda Swinton, takes centrestage. The campaign itself was filmed inside Haus Nowhere. Visitors are greeted by an immense, moving alien-like structure that rises and sinks beneath a concrete platform – a visual metaphor for emergence and evolution. Around it, human sculptures, mirrored walls, and digital screens stage a calm yet uncanny atmosphere. The result is an environment that invites exploration: Customers can freely try on frames, from spiked wraparounds to foldable “Pocket” sunglasses, in an artful, unpressured setting. The third level merges three of llcombined’s brands into a continuous, open-concept landscape where design, utility and beauty coalesce. Nuflaat, making its physical debut, presents surrealist tableware under the slogan “Dress your table”. On sleek white shelves, forks curve into waves, glasses are wrapped in silver chains, and cake knives take the form of stiletto heels. The playful yet refined ‘Nail’ collection even features teapots and mugs fitted with claw-like red nails. Past a bejewelled carpet, Atiissu introduces its avant-garde Tracker collection, where hats take sculptural form – beanies with horns, caps with exposed sides, and tasselled visors displayed against a backdrop of raw metal and robotics. Nearby, Tamburins expands on its fragrance world with bestsellers like Evening Glow and Bottari, alongside lip balms, diffusers and candles presented beside futuristic, spaceship-like sculptures. On the top retail floor sits the Nudake Teahouse, a colour-drenched haven that transforms dessert into performance. Inside, metallic tea samplers present 12 flavours, each inspired by a mood or archetype. The Blue Monk blend channels serenity through citrus, bergamot, and spearmint, while Mafia exudes richness with caramel and smoke. The desserts are just as imaginative: The Lobster merges shrimp bisque, lobster, and chocolate; while the 155MM reimagines a stiletto as a rose mousse and grapefruit confection. Each creation, served on Nuflaat plates, is a reflection of the group’s commitment to aesthetic storytelling. Pop Mart – Bangkok, Thailand Landing on the seventh floor of the IconSiam building, where a strip of retail segments dynamically gather with the riverfront landscape of the Chao Phraya river, Pop Mart has welcomed its loyal fans by installing a four-meter Thai-inspired Molly sculpture. The iconic blue-eyed with pouty-lipped girl character, inspired by artist Kenny Wong’s travels in Thailand, was dressed in the country’s traditional costume Chakri, while riding an elephant, which is reminiscent of Thai culture. The sculpture is located adjacent to the outdoor terrace area, decorated in a yellow and purple cubic theme, transferring a sense of a gaming world beside the entrance. Under the Pop Mart philosophy ‘Light up Passion and Bring Joy’, the flagship showcases three themes: Water culture, traditional Thai architecture and inclusiveness. The interior design mirrors the fluid curves inspired by the Chao Phraya river and free-flowing circular forms on the ceiling. This way, customers walk into a spatial open experience and imagination that evokes Thailand’s diversity of culture, while distinctively bringing an imaginative and dreamlike colourway decoration. Spanning 760sqm and two floors, the space creates a living dialogue between the brand’s aesthetic of a fun-filled theme and Thai heritage. The grand entrance, in arch shape, inspired by classic art gallery works, features a dramatic sense, rising like a wind-up toy box spanning two floors. On the first floor, the store houses a vibrant mega zone, where guests can check in with photo spots and the Pop Bean Area, stunningly anchored by installations of Molly and fan-favourite the Monsters. Standing here at the first ground, a closed-loop circulation and flowing guiding lines encouraging discovery at every turn merge into the spatial design that allows visitors to explore every zone of the area without retracing their steps. A sweeping spiral staircase uses continuous lines on every stair tread to draw attention upward and connect both levels, inspiring the flow and motion of a river. On the second floor, the design is abstracted into geometric, Rubik’s Cube-like forms in the design of traditional Thai architecture, the iconic spires of Wat Arun. This floor houses Pop Mart figurines stacked in cubic shapes that are arranged in a precise and rhythmic pattern. In Thailand, the company features a game-like, mischievous and energised vibe using a vibrant colour palette that’s a signature across its stores. In partnership with Greyhound Café, the landmark store offers the first Pop Mart cafe zone outside China. This zone is filled with gentle pink hues evoking the sweetness of cotton candy and wild berries inspired by the Labubu macaron. At the opening of the IconSiam flagship store, Pop Mart’s artistic exhibitions were showcased at Thara mall, starring the brand’s signature characters in Thai cultural figures, including Molly in Chakri, Labubu long-tail boat, Crybaby tuk tuk, and the Pop bean Crybaby Baby Born. Aside from the exhibition are live performances with the presence of Thai celebrities such as Chompoo Araya A Hargate, Abigail Rangsee Singhpipat and Jeff Worakamon Satur. “Immersive offline stores will remain essential, offering vibrant designs, themed displays, and social spaces to engage young consumers. As competition grows, innovation, user engagement, and unique experiences will be key,” said Justin Moon, president of Pop Mart International. This story first appeared in the November 2025 issue of Inside Retail Asia magazine.