[On-site] "Finally feels like Homeplus"... First day of reopening, customers 'bustling', staff 'beaming'

The shelves where frying pans were displayed are now full of beef and pork... customers flock in, reminiscent of an 'open run'

"Reasonable prices", "Been in line for 20 minutes" customers express satisfaction... empty spots from withdrawn vendors also visible here and there

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(Daejeon=Yonhap News) Reporter Lee Joo-hyung = "I bought a carton of eggs for 4,900 won, green onions for 2,900 won, and pork neck for 8,000 won; I bought them cheaply."

A housewife surnamed Kim (54, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon), whom I met at the Homeplus Yuseong branch in Daejeon on the morning of the 13th, said, "I heard there would be many discounts for the first day of reopening, so I came to shop as soon as it opened, and it's great as expected. It finally feels like Homeplus again."

On its first day of reopening, the Yuseong branch saw a constant stream of customer vehicles entering the mart from 10 a.m., the opening time.

In less than an hour, so many people had flocked in that the first and second-floor parking lots were completely full.

The inside of the store was also buzzing with energy, making the previous suspension of operations or the threat of closure seem like a distant memory.

The employees, who were seeing customers again after a long time, were also working harder than ever to serve them.

The meat display shelves, which had been bleakly occupied only by 'out-of-place' industrial products like frying pans during the threat of closure, were now fully stocked with fresh, bright red beef and pork.

The vegetable and fruit shelves were also attractively stocked with watermelons, grapes, bananas, green onions, potatoes, etc., 'tempting' the wallets of consumers.

In particular, to mark the reopening, a 50% discount event was held on all meat items, including Hanwoo (Korean beef) and Handon (Korean pork), and as soon as the meat was put out, it sold out, leading to long queues of customers who couldn't buy meat in time.

Every time fresh meat was brought out, 40 to 50 customers would rush in at once, truly reminiscent of an 'open run'.

A person surnamed Ahn (62, Seo-gu, Daejeon), who bought Hanwoo sirloin worth 26,000 won at half price, smiled and said, "I'm currently waiting in line for 20 minutes to buy pork as well."

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A person surnamed Kim (27, Seo-gu, Daejeon) also stated, "I bought two packs of Hanwoo rib meat and chuck flap tail, and I think I bought them well. I used to enjoy visiting Homeplus because the product quality is good and the price range is reasonable. I am satisfied that it has reopened."

When I visited this place in early last month, when it was facing a suspension of operations, the refrigerated shelves had no products to display, so only frying pans, mugs, and various household goods were displayed in an 'awkward manner', but on this day, for the reopening, most of the various foods and products had returned to their proper places.

The seafood section, which had barely managed to fill its selection with dried filefish and fish jerky, still had many empty spots, but various shellfish such as live abalone were placed on one side of the shelf again, preparing to welcome customers.

Employees were also sweating as they busily moved around the store, filling empty shelves with dairy products, eggs, etc.

With customers flocking in for the first time in a while, the owners of the tenant stores also had big smiles on their faces as they served customers.

Although there were empty spots here and there because many vendors had already withdrawn, the remaining vendors seemed to be welcoming the first day of reopening 'energetically'.

Homeplus reopened 67 stores nationwide that had been temporarily closed, including the Daejeon Yuseong branch, starting from this day.

An official from the Homeplus Daejeon Yuseong branch stated, "We will do our best to sell high-quality products at low prices and for the convenience of the customers who visited us," and added, "Regarding the empty vendor spaces, I understand that the headquarters is currently in the process of re-contracting or signing new contracts."

coolee@yna.co.kr

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Report tips via KakaoTalk okjebo <Copyright (c) Yonhap News, unauthorized reproduction-redistribution, AI learning and usage prohibited> August 13, 2026, 12:49 PM sent