Nowadays, cafes are becoming places that offer more than just a cup of coffee; they’ve become destinations for unique visual and sensory encounters. The globally renowned coffee brand ‘Starbucks’ adheres to this philosophy with its famous quote, “Starbucks provides much more than the best cup of coffee. We offer a community gathering place where people come together to connect and discover new things.” In Korea, this concept is introduced through Starbucks’ special type of destination cafe known as ‘THE’ stores.
The newly opened ‘THE Yeosu Dolsan DT’ store, which is Starbucks’ fourth Korean destination store located on the southern coastal city of Yeosu, features a very unique and interactive table that has transformed the store into a local attraction, aptly named the ultra-large ‘Transparent OLED Table’.
Transparent OLED portrays Yeosu’s famous waves like never before
Stepping inside THE Starbucks Yeosu Dolsan DT, you’ll immediately notice a huge, 8-meter-long table comprised of twelve 55-inch Transparent OLED displays. This ultra-large Transparent OLED Table is exclusively designed to illustrate three distinct themes that capture Yeosu’s unique beauty: ‘The Sea of Yeosu,’ ‘Yeosu at Night,’ and ‘The Memory of Yeosu.’
‘The Sea of Yeosu’ vividly portrays waves crashing onto the region’s idyllic coastline in an 8-minute video, while ‘Yeosu at Night’ encapsulates the exhilarating, romantic essence of Yeosu’s nighttime seascape. Lastly, ‘The Memory of Yeosu’ offers a more abstract visual representation of Yeosu, all of which combine to give customers a sense of enjoying their drinks by the beach when sitting on this table.
The ultra-large Transparent OLED Table has another surprising element, which is that it is interactive! Sensors inside the Transparent OLED can pick up placed objects, such as beverage cups, to recreate the pristine beauty of the sea, creating rippling effects around the cup as if it were a passing ship.
In addition, wooden frames are added on the outside borders of the table to seamlessly match Starbucks’ signature brown-toned interior while intertwining the natural grace of Yeosu’s coastal scenery, offering a pleasant visual experience for all visitors.
Transparent OLEDs: A new solution to interior design
In the realm of cutting-edge display technology, LG Display stands at the forefront with its groundbreaking Transparent OLEDs. This technology was initially mass-produced in 2019, leveraging OLED’s self-emissive nature, and has since offered the clearest and glass-like transparency no other displays can match. This innovation allows creative designs and endless application in various areas, such as windows, walls, and floors since it boasts high transparency and accurate color presentation.
Earlier this year, Starbucks and LG Display collaborated on two major events – ‘SHINSEGAE UNIVERSE FESTIVAL’ and ‘K-Display 2023’ – to reveal to the public various Transparent OLED solutions that included the Interactive Showcase, Welcome OLED panel, and more.
Kim Jiyoung, Starbucks Korea’s manager for the project, praised LG Display’s Transparent OLED for “providing a new digital paradigm”, stating that the technology “not only facilitates interactive communication between customers and partners but also promises an opportunity to experience Starbucks’ innovation”.
Transparent OLED is a unique and seamless way to improve the interiors of stores thanks to its lesser heat generation compared to conventional LEDs and its ability to withstand substantial loads with the use of reinforced glass. As an ideal choice for indoor applications, Transparent OLEDs have already made their mark by serving as interactive information mediums for customers in retail spaces such as SM Gwangya flagship and Musinsa fashion store.
To keep you ahead of the game, we formally invite you on a journey with Transparent OLED as it transforms our daily lives in so many amazing ways!
