Sophia Maria, third from right, from Germany, and Zhen Zhen, second from right, from Singapore, hold SHINee member Key's official merchandise they bought in front of the singer's pop-up exhibition "Mr. Freak's Lab: Sweet Escape" at Plant Lance in Seongsu-dong, eastern Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Park Jin-hai

Dive into the whimsical world of SHINee's Key with "Mr. Freak's Lab: Sweet Escape," a pop-up experience that redefines fan engagement. Far from being just another merchandise store, this mini theme park-like adventure has captivated global fans with its unique interactive content, blending Key's musical journey with an immersive, fun-filled exploration.

Situated at Plant Lance in Seoul's hipster neighborhood Seongsu-dong, the special exhibition runs through Sunday, inviting visitors to explore a dessert lab-themed adventure inspired by Key's albums.

Fans traveling from around the globe are eagerly participating in this innovative pop-up, drawn not only by the allure of exclusive content but also by the unique opportunity to engage directly with Key's artistic universe.

Upon scanning a QR code, fans are transported into the lively two-story space of "Mr. Freak's Lab: Sweet Escape," where they embark on an adventure as interns at this fantastical lab. Journeying through sections dedicated to Key's albums "BAD LOVE" (2021), "Gasoline" (2022), "Killer" (2023) and "Good & Great" (2023), visitors are tasked with solving a series of missions, surrounded by Key's actual music video costumes, props and artwork. The ultimate goal is to liberate BOK-SILLee, the fluffy pink mascot from Key's second studio album "Gasoline."

Having debuted in 2008 as a member of the boy band SHINee, Key has built an impressive 17-year career in the K-pop industry. It has been five years since he ventured into a solo career with his first solo album in 2018. Known for his commitment to innovative concepts and visual aesthetics, Key has cemented his unique identity in the K-pop scene.

Unlike typical promotional pop-ups for new albums or products, "Mr. Freak's Lab: Sweet Escape" brings Key's distinctive album concepts and key visuals to life in an immersive offline experience, providing fans with an opportunity to step into his world.

Key's costumes and props from the music video for "BAD LOVE" (2021) are on display at the singer's pop-up event "Mr. Freak's Lab: Sweet Escape" pop-up at Plant Lance in Seongsu-dong, eastern Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Park Jin-hai

Zhen Zhen, 31, from Singapore, has been a "huge" SHINee fan who doesn't mind cross-country flights for her favorite boy band.

"To tell you the truth, I came to Korea this time just for this pop-up, right after spending the weekend in Hong Kong for SHINee WORLD VI 'Perfect Illumination' concert tour there," she said while waiting in line to enter the venue once again.

"This pop-up is ending this month and I had to come here because I feel that if I miss this, I will have no other chance. I [live] in Singapore but fly very frequently for SHINee."

Zhen identifies as "shawol," short for the group's official fandom name SHINee World, and has been the boy band's fan since 2009. "K-pop and K-dramas like 'Boys Over Flowers' were very popular in my country. One day, I happened to watch a Korean variety show that featured SHINee, and from there, all my fandom started, and now I'm here," she said.

Sophia Maria, a 25-year-old fan from Germany and a graduate student in media at Sookmyung Women's University, shared that she visited the pop-up four times during the day.

"I booked the admission in advance and tried to get in as many times as possible, especially for the lucky-draw event where you can win prizes. I've noticed many fans visiting multiple times a day, some to purchase items for friends overseas," she said, showing her pop-up purchases.

"It was so much fun, because I didn't expect so much from a pop-up. Characters look supper cute and you can tell they put a lot of effort in it," Maria added, noting that she enjoyed the arcade game zone the most inside the pop-up.

Key's second studio album "Gasoline" (2022) themed area is seen during the " Mr. Freak's Lab: Sweet Escape" pop-up at Plant Lance in Seongsu-dong, in eastern Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Park Jin-hai

At "Mr. Freak's Lab: Sweet Escape," successful completion of missions rewards visitors with a lucky draw opportunity, where they can win free balloons, photo cards or stickers. The pop-up also sells a unique line of merchandise, including sweets such as macarons, meringues and cookies, all adorned with character designs to complement the pop-up's overall theme. Other popular items include masking tapes, phone grips and metal pins.

Despite operating mainly on a reservation basis, the growing queues show Key's widespread appeal. A staff member at the venue, Lee Do-hoon, saw up to 80 people waiting for entry at peak times.

"We accept visitors entry every half hour. From what I see, three or four out of 10 guests are international, mainly from China and Japan, though we've also welcomed fans from Taiwan, Singapore and Mexico," Lee said.

Barbara Knaack, 36, a German model living in Korea, came to visit the pop-up with her SHINee fanatic friend and shared some advice.

"We made a reservation online but you can actually go there and sign up and wait for two hours or walk around, and you can go in anyway," Knaack said. "The concept and the costumes on display are really nice. The greatest thing I think is that you have little adventures and tasks to solve throughout the pop-up store to rescue the mascot. That was really fun."