LG transparent OLED turns Starbucks into visitor attraction

An LG Display transparent OLED table has transformed a recently opened Starbucks outlet in South Korea into a visitor attraction.

The global coffee brand’s ethos is to “offer a community gathering place where people come together to connect and discover new things”, and in South Korea, this is delivered through destination cafes known as ‘THE’ stores.

The THE Yeosu Dolsan DT store, which is Starbucks’ fourth in South Korea, features an 8m-long table comprising 12 55” transparent OLED displays. The displays illustrate three distinct themes that allow customers to appreciate the beauty of  Yeosu.

‘The Sea of Yeosu’ is an eight-minute video that portrays waves crashing on to the region’s coastline; ‘Yeosu at Night’ encapsulates the romantic essence of Yeosu’s seascape after dark; and ‘The Memory of Yeosu’ offers a more abstract visual representation of the city.

Sensors inside the transparent OLED table can identify objects placed on its surface, creating rippling effects around cups as if they were passing ships while the wooden borders of the table seamlessly match Starbucks’ signature brown-toned interiors.

LG Display’s transparent OLEDs were first mass produced in 2019, leveraging OLED’s self-emissive nature. Their clear glass-like transparency is suitable for use in windows, walls and floors. They generate less heat than conventional LEDs and their reinforced glass can withstand substantial loads.

Kim Jiyoung, Starbucks Korea’s manager for the project, said LG Display’s transparent OLED “provided a new digital paradigm” and “not only facilitates interactive communication between customers and partners, but also promises an opportunity to experience Starbucks’ innovation”.