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A look inside Mins Studios, Iowa's first K-pop store

Mins Studios co-owner James Lin poses for a portrait on the day of the store's soft opening, Jan. 27. Mins Studios is marketing itself as Iowa's first K-pop store.
Josie Fischels
/
Iowa Public Radio
Mins Studios co-owner James Lin poses for a portrait on the day of the store's soft opening, Jan. 27. Mins Studios is marketing itself as Iowa's first K-pop store.

You might not think of K-pop when you think of West Des Moines, or even the Midwest for that matter, but Emma Lee and James Lin hope to change that.

The couple and business partners are opening Mins Studios Kpop and Gifts at 5008 EP True Parkway Feb. 1, which they're marketing as Iowa's first physical K-pop store.

Mins Studios, which is marketing itself as Iowa's first K-pop store, will hold a grand opening on Feb. 1.
Josie Fischels
/
Iowa Public Radio
Mins Studios, which is marketing itself as Iowa's first K-pop store, will hold a grand opening on Feb. 1.

K-pop, short for Korean pop music, is a global phenomenon known for its polished boy and girl groups made up of singers known as "idols," catchy tunes, striking visuals and intricate choreography. Fans, who are often deeply devoted to specific groups (Take BTS' "ARMY," for example), participate in K-pop's strong subculture by buying albums and merchandise, collecting and decorating photocards of their favorite idols, and organizing events.

Lee first launched Mins Studios as an online sticker shop during the pandemic, amassing thousands of followers on Instagram. Now, she and Lin hope to offer a "one-stop shop" for all things K-pop at their physical store, from albums and merchandise to stationery and Korean beauty products.

“It has been pretty tough to get K-pop merchandise around here," Lin said, recalling long drives to out-of-state stores and the high shipping costs when shopping online. "I think it’s good that we’re bringing this locally."

Lee and Lin met at a K-pop cup sleeve pop-up event for one of their favorite girl groups, TWICE, where Lee was a vendor. They bonded quickly over their love for the genre.

"Over the course of the year, we traveled to many different states, going to concerts, attending big Korean events like KCON," Lin said. "We thought that maybe we should bring some of that here, as well."

While K-pop groups don't normally tour in Iowa (though here's a rare exception), Lee says she's met and made friends with many other fans in the state.

"Surprisingly, there is a pretty big community here of people who like K-pop and Korean culture," she said. "Since I’ve lived here, I've attended many local K-pop events put on by other fans. Everyone I’ve talked to always expressed enthusiasm about the possibility of a K-pop store in our state."

Stepping into Mins Studios is like entering a cotton candy dream. Modeled after similar stores in Japan and South Korea, the space is painted a soft shade of pink, with sticker-dotted posters of K-pop idols plastering the walls. A row of TVs plays concert footage from groups like TWICE and Le Sserafim.

The store held a soft opening Jan. 27.

"Getting to see the excitement on customers faces when they came in was a really great feeling," Lee said afterward. "I’m so happy that we can bring together a community who can connect with other like-minded people — especially here in the Midwest."

Beyond selling merchandise, the couple hopes Mins Studios will become a hub for fans through future events, while also sparking more local interest in K-pop that they hope catches on.

"Hopefully, as we open the store, we are also inspiring other people to open up more shops like this here," Lin said.

Josie Fischels is IPR's Arts & Culture Reporter, with expertise in performance art, visual art and Iowa Life. She's covered local and statewide arts, news and lifestyle features for The Daily Iowan, The Denver Post, NPR and currently for IPR. Fischels is a University of Iowa graduate.