How one wide-fit sneaker took over Hyundai Department Store Pangyo

✴︎ Space: Hyundai Department Store Pangyo, U-PLEX 4F✴︎ Date: 2026. 9. 7 – 9. 20

Do you have sneakers for wide feet?
Do you have comfortable sneakers?

These were the questions we heard most at the Hyundai Department Store Pangyo pop-up. Many people struggle to pick a sneaker size because of wide feet, or can only wear one particular brand's wide fit.

“Wow, these are so light.”
“These are really comfortable.”

That was the first reaction from people who picked up or tried on DARIMATI shoes.

We wanted this pop-up to be more than just a place to try on shoes. Put them on, walk, run, and take on rowing and fitness races. We set it up so you could feel how BR-001 fits in as many situations as possible.

1,000+ pop-up visitors in 2 weeks
300+ rowing & fitness race participants

About 10 elite athletes, including national team members in rowing and golf, also stopped by to test the shoes and took a pair home.

The pop-up wrapped up as a big success, reaching 170% of our original goal.

For a new sneaker brand with essentially just one product, getting this experience at Hyundai Department Store Pangyo felt pretty special.

“How DARIMATI ended up in a department store”

DARIMATI isn't a big brand yet. We're a Korean shoe brand less than a year old. Plenty of people passing by asked, “I've never seen this brand. What is it?” and we got asked “Do you have other colors?” a lot, too.

But from day one, we haven't just made shoes. We created DARI, a magazine about the people and culture of the Han River, and we've kept experimenting with ways to connect fitness and running through running sessions and foot yoga sessions.

Hybrid training like F45 and HYROX, which combines running, pushing, pulling and lifting in a single workout, is growing fast. We're thinking about and testing shoes built for this way of training.

We don't just make shoes. We also try to create the experiences around them. People found that interesting, and that's how we got the chance to meet customers in person at Hyundai Department Store Pangyo.

“The people we remember most”

As we write this wrap-up, the people who stick with us most are the everyday participants.

A dad who came to the department store with his kid and ended up joining the fitness race, a mom who finished all the way with her family cheering her on, and a grandmother and kids trying the rowing machine for the first time after only ever wondering about it.

Even people who said, “I don't usually work out…” finished once they started, checked their time, and went for another round.

Watching someone test their limits made us want to push ourselves again, too. We think a good shoe is a lot like that moment. A shoe that makes you walk one more step today, push 1m further, and run one more time.

“So what kind of shoe is BR-001?”

Let's go back to the questions we started with. Sneakers for wide feet. Comfortable sneakers.

BR-001 isn't a racing shoe built just for a personal best. Move Different. We made it for people who move in many ways: people who run, hit the gym, and walk all day.

It features cushioning that holds up on long walks, stable grip even on slippery ground, and a structure that keeps your ankle from wobbling. And at 267g, it stays easy on your feet even after hours of wear.

If you have wide feet or a high instep, don't just size up. It's important to check how the front of your foot feels and whether your whole foot feels securely held when you move.

At the pop-up, the fit felt different in the same size depending on foot width and instep height, and many people chose their size after trying the shoes on and moving in them.

“Do you have it in black?”

We revealed BR-001 Core Black for the first time at the pop-up, and lots of you asked about it. It keeps the stable hybrid structure of the original BR-001, with an improved upper mesh that's lighter and more breathable. Core Black is set to officially launch in November.

Thank you to everyone who tried on our shoes, ran in them, and above all gave us honest feedback at the Hyundai Department Store Pangyo pop-up. We'll take what we heard into our next shoe and our next event.

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