Gentle Monster's parent company IICOMBINED has launched Haus Nowhere Seoul in South Korea, marking the first architectural milestone in its ambitious long-term Future Retail vision. The groundbreaking venue, which opened on September 6th, 2025, redefines traditional retail by merging art, design, and commerce into an experimental immersive environment that the company describes as "a space found nowhere."
The multi-story building houses several striking art installations that animate the retail environment and create a surreal shopping experience. At the heart of the space is Max Siedentopf's "More Is More," featuring hundreds of black garbage bags that inflate and deflate in a slow, hypnotic rhythm. Standing amid this swelling sea of plastic is a towering animatronic figure of an elderly man whose eyes wander curiously as he clutches a single golden bag. This thought-provoking installation, which is presented simultaneously across Haus Nowhere locations in Seoul, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, reflects on themes of value, discovery, and the overlooked moments of wonder hidden in everyday life.
One of the most captivating features is Sunshine, a giant dachshund installation whose presence threads through multiple levels of the Seoul location. Introduced by Tamburins, this monumental canine character first appears in a whimsical afternoon slumber scene, complete with tender details including a dewy nose, soft paws, and gentle breathing movements. The installation then transforms dramatically as Sunshine re-emerges in a parallel universe setting, clad in shining armor and recast as a futuristic warrior, drifting between fairytale scenes and high-tech transformations. Visitors can interact with Sunshine's world through an AI-powered Twin Look photo booth, where the dachshund mirrors their appearance in playful sticker-like portraits.
The fifth floor of Haus Nowhere Seoul houses the innovative Nudake Teahouse, which transforms the traditional ritual of tea drinking into a multi-sensory performance experience. Kinetic objects appear to drift through the space, guiding visitors through an otherworldly environment rich in striking color contrasts ranging from yellow-green and deep purple to warm reds. The teahouse functions as both a refined lounge where guests can pair scented teas with carefully selected desserts and a curated gift shop featuring tea-inspired objects. By combining visual spectacle, scent, and taste, Nudake creates a temporal pause that expands a familiar cultural ritual into a surreal, immersive experience.
The venue also showcases brand flagship spaces that blur the lines between retail and art installation. Gentle Monster's 2025 Bold Collection is displayed within monumental mechanical structures designed to evoke speed and dynamism, while ATiiSSU presents its second store featuring the Tracker headwear line inspired by themes of exploration. Nuflaat merges dining and design through sculptural tableware, offering visitors a rhythm of objects that are both unfamiliar and refined in their aesthetic approach.
By assembling art installations, brand flagships, and experimental environments under one roof, Haus Nowhere Seoul positions itself as an open-ended cultural platform that functions simultaneously as gallery, store, and dreamworld. This innovative approach represents IICOMBINED's vision of how art and commerce can fold into one another, creating spaces where traditional boundaries dissolve and visitors are invited to explore, discover, and experience retail in entirely new ways.
