Sofitel Ambassador Seoul Hotel & Serviced Residences is scheduled to run “The Secret Check-In,” a pop-up on the sixth floor of The Hyundai Seoul department store in Yeouido, western Seoul, to mark the hotel's fifth anniversary. The pop-up recreates some of the hotel's spaces in a virtual environment using AI, virtual reality (VR) and extended reality (XR) technologies, so visitors can explore the property without staying there.
The hotel says the aim is to combine cutting-edge AI technology with its brand for a distinctive modern luxury experience. It is currently reported as announced: the sources describe the run as upcoming, and no source yet confirms that it has opened.
How the experience works
The virtual hotel recreates the lobby, the Opera Suite, the Grand Ballroom Vendôme and the rooftop bar Latitude32, and one report describes the spaces as recreated in three dimensions. Visitors first take a space-matching test through heydi, Hyundai Department Store's AI shopping assistant. Based on the results, they are matched with the Sofitel Seoul space that best suits their preferences. They can then explore that space in the virtual hotel and complete a mission to find hidden croissants.
Partners, schedule and support
- SixDofamine, a studio specializing in AI and VR technology, created the pop-up in collaboration with Hyundai Department Store.
- The pop-up is scheduled from 30 September to 5 October 2026 at The Hyundai Seoul, with a listing giving opening hours of 10:30 to 20:00 Monday to Thursday and 10:30 to 20:30 Friday to Sunday.
- It is supported by the Korea Arts Management Service through Arts Korea Lab's 2026 AI+Technology Convergence Open Innovation program.
The hotel is also showing a separate interactive media art installation, Garden of Light, in its first-floor lobby. It was made with the studio Peak and is scheduled to run through 29 October, so it is not part of the VR pop-up.
