Homeplus reopening draws crowds amid hopes, concerns

Seoul and Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province - The main Homeplus in the Gangseo District of southwestern Seoul began welcoming customers at 10 a.m. on Thursday, as lines formed well before the store opened. The outlet had been closed for 31 days, following a temporary shutdown by the company due to a lack of operating funds during its rehabilitation process. A Seoul court recently granted the cash-strapped retailer another opportunity, setting the new deadline for court approval of its rehabilitation plan to September 4.

One local resident, who had previously observed the nearly empty shelves at the Gangseo Homeplus when it closed on July 13, expressed relief at its reopening. Despite the lack of eggs and milk, she explained that the store remained a popular destination due to frequent discounts on a wide range of products. Fifteen minutes prior to the official opening, visitors were granted entry to the building, where they encountered a queue of over 100 customers eagerly awaiting the chance to shop at the reopened store.