How UniSeoul bets big on ‘Cuteness Culture’ & Korean aesthetics

Mohit Khurana, Co-Founder & CEO at Uni Seoul, which plans to open 500 stores in 5 years, shares insights into the brand’s strategic expansion plans, how it leverages immersive in-store experiences and visual merchandising and more…

Built around the idea of “Cuteness Culture,” Uni Seoul is redefining everyday lifestyle products with Korean-inspired aesthetics across home décor, stationery, plush toys, beauty care, and fashion accessories. Riding the global Hallyu wave, the Pune-based brand aims to tap into the growing affinity for Korean culture among Indian consumers.

Founded by Mohit Khurana and Gaurav Karmani and launched in 2023, Uni Seoul currently operates 9 stores across 6 cities, with an ambitious plan to scale to 500 stores across India over the next five years.

Speaking exclusively to Retail4Growth, Mohit Khurana, Co-Founder & CEO at Uni Seoul, shares insights into the brand’s strategic expansion plans, how its immersive in-store experiences and visual merchandising set it apart, and its vision of building a joyful, inclusive “cuteness” culture for every customer who walks into a Uni Seoul store.

Why did Uni Seoul decide to begin its retail journey with offline stores in 2023?

Most brands today begin their journey with an online presence, but from the very beginning, we were clear that ours is a brand built for physical retail. Our concept and merchandise are meant to be experienced in person, in an environment where customers can truly engage with and enjoy the “cuteness” aesthetic.

We opened our first store in Phoenix Marketcity, Pune, in April 2023, and quickly realized that this was the right direction for building our retail presence. To our surprise, the store achieved sales of INR 30 lakh in its first month, a result that was both high and unexpected.

One of the key KPIs we track is average dwell time. If customers are spending more time in the store, it means we’re doing something right. Currently, our stores see an average dwell time of about 5-6 minutes, which is relatively strong for this category, while our flagship store reaches around 13-14 minutes. Our goal is to maintain an average of 10-11 minutes per customer.

We want people to experience the product, vibe with the space, indulge in joyfulness, take photos, and truly be part of the Uni Seoul experience. We’re trying to build a culture where, if you’re having a tough day, you can simply walk into a Uni Seoul store, spend 10-15 minutes, and feel better. You don’t even need to buy anything. Just being part of this “cuteness” lifestyle movement is enough.

Could you share more about your current store footprint and your strategy for future expansion?

We currently have nine stores with presence across Pune, Hyderabad, Nasik, Bangalore, Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Soon we are opening our 10th store at Lake Shore Mall, Hyderabad. We are targeting to have 30 stores by FY 2027, and another 500 in 5 yrs.

We plan to achieve this by first getting our operations right. Our focus in the first year is on building strong backend infrastructure which includes assembling the right team, strengthening distribution, and setting solid operational systems. Once that foundation is in place, we aim to pursue exponential growth, opening stores rapidly.

Across India, there are roughly 120–130 high-potential malls and more than 100 promising high-street locations. These form our core domestic expansion pipeline. Beyond India, we’re also exploring international opportunities, especially the UAE, where the strong presence of similar concepts in malls like Dubai Mall shows high consumer demand. Southeast Asia is another priority market.

With this combined potential, we’re confident about reaching our target of 500 stores in the next five years.

What is your store expansion model, and will franchising be part of it?

We follow a mixed expansion model that includes both FICO (franchisee invested, company operated) and COCO (company-owned, company-operated) stores. We’ve partnered with LiteStore, a leading Retail-as-a-Service company that helps brands launch and scale their offline presence. Under our MoU, we plan to open around 25-30 stores with them.

Going forward, we’ll continue using a combination of LiteStore partnership, COCO, and FICO formats, depending on the market and specific requirements. In tier 3 and tier 4 cities, we plan to lean more heavily on the FICO model, where the franchisee invests while we manage all operations on their behalf. This approach reduces the operational burden on franchisees such as store management, replenishment, and other KPIs, allowing them to run efficiently with our support.

What was the brief for the store design and how did you want the brand’s persona to be reflected in the space?

Our brand is rooted in Korean aesthetics that is about cuteness, inclusivity, and a joyful lifestyle. So we wanted the store to reflect that. The space needed to feel whimsical, beautiful, and instantly inviting, so people feel drawn in and see it as an extension of their own lifestyle.

Many Gen Z and millennial shoppers are “curious browsers,” and if a store doesn’t spark joy, they walk out in a minute. That’s why we focused on designing a space that feels happy, immersive, and engaging enough for them to explore every product.

The interactive elements in our store consistently draw customers in. Our plushie walk-in closet has become a major photo spot. Since we needed additional storage, we transformed one of the closets into a tunnel-style walk-in space, turning it into a unique experiential feature. We also introduced a claw machine for soft toys and an interactive photo booth. As we expand into larger spaces like 2,000-3,000 sq. ft.,we plan to add even more such elements so customers can enjoy the store beyond just shopping.

Interestingly, the photo booth has become one of our top-selling “products.” Priced at ₹200, it sells around 3,000–4,000 tickets a month, reflecting the strong customer appetite for these experiential touchpoints.

Purchases in this category are often emotionally driven. Are you planning to introduce, any personalization or customization initiatives?

We’re keen to offer personalization, but given the wide range of merchandise in our stores, it can be operationally challenging. Such services often create queues and risk impacting the overall customer experience, which we want to avoid.

However, we will be taking this online, starting with customized gift cards, gift notes, and complimentary gift wrapping. These are brand-led initiatives, for which we don’t charge for customers, as we want them to feel extra joy when shopping with us.

Gifting is becoming a key focus for us. We’ve launched Secret Santa shopping, where every order includes a surprise gift, both online and offline.

How does Uni Seoul store experience differentiate itself from close competitors in the offline retail landscape?

We primarily stand out through our experiential and interactive store elements, but most importantly through our distinctive visual merchandising. Our products are displayed with strong aesthetic intent - neatly aligned, thoughtfully color-blocked, and visually cohesive across sections.

Compared to global competitors, we offer a more limited and highly curated range. We’re very protective of our brand identity and focus on doing what feels right for us rather than overextending. All of this comes together in a store experience that feels premium yet remains accessible and affordable.

What in-store technology have you incorporated to enhance customer experience?

Currently, our stores are driven by visual merchandising and experiential zones designed purely for interaction and engagement. Going forward, we plan to introduce more technology-led solutions, including automated checkout kiosks similar to QSR formats, allowing customers to self-checkout. This will be rolled out at scale once we reach around 100–200 stores.