Since its establishment in 1979 as the Korea Exhibition Center (KOEX), COEX has undergone significant changes in scale and programming. Junglim Architecture collaborated with Kwangjang Architects & Engineers to design the Korea Exhibition Center, which was the largest exhibition facility in South Korea at the time. In 1988, COEX and the Trade Tower opened. Following the 2000 Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) held in Seoul, the original exhibition hall was demolished and the ASEM Tower was constructed, establishing COEX as a comprehensive convention center that includes the COEX Mall, hotels, and other facilities.

The COEX Mall renovation project aims to create a differentiated mixed-use shopping mall by improving the underground environment of the mall, which opened in 2000 as Asia’s largest shopping space, and proposing new spatial concepts. As an underground facility connected to the subway and frequented by many pedestrians, addressing the complex circulation system and limitations in daylight and ventilation were key challenges. To redefine the existing COEX space, the new COEX Mall was conceived not simply as an underground mall but as a type of commercial facility that links underground retail with aboveground spaces.