South Korea – Heineken has teamed up with LePub Singapore to launch a bold new campaign in South Korea, introducing staff-free, self-service ‘Trust Bars’ that let football fans enjoy UEFA Champions League matches and fresh pints at any hour—even in the early morning.
Called ‘Trust Bars’, the concept offers a practical solution for dedicated UEFA Champions League fans in Korea, who often struggle to find social venues to watch matches that air around 4am or 5am local time—hours when most bars are closed due to high labour costs.
Instead of hiring late-night staff, selected bars in Seoul are opening their doors 24/7 and placing trust in fans to gather, watch matches, and serve themselves. These venues are stocked with a supply of self-service Heineken and snacks.
At each Trust Bar, fans can order, pay, and pour their own drinks using Heineken’s self-payment terminals. Developed in partnership with LeGarage, LePub’s global innovation unit, the system is designed for easy installation and could be scaled to other markets with strong trust cultures, such as Japan and Singapore.
Security and age verification technologies are also in place to ensure that only legal-age patrons enter and are served, supporting responsible alcohol consumption.
Stephan Schwarz, executive creative director at LePub APAC, explained, “Korean football fans show incredible dedication, waking up at all hours of the night to support their favourite European teams. Trust Bars entrust our Heineken taps to passionate fans without the constraints of traditional bar hours – giving them a full match-day experience with friends. At the same time, we also relieve bar owners of late-night staffing woes. Two birds. One tap.”
Heineken and LePub designed the campaign with Seoul’s unique environment in mind, where a strong culture of self-service and social trust makes the concept viable. In Korea, it’s common to use self-service kiosks or reserve tables via smartphone, and leaving personal items unattended in public spaces is part of everyday life.
Giwoun Park, marketing director at The Heineken Company, Korea, shared, “Korea’s strong foundation of social trust makes it the perfect market in which to pioneer this concept. Trust Bars are a natural extension of the communal respect already prevalent in Korean society. As a longstanding sponsor of the UEFA Champions League, we loved the idea of uniting Korea’s trusting culture with its innovative e-commerce technology.”
“By creating the world’s first fully automated bars, we are alleviating late-night operational costs for bar owners while giving football fans a place to cheer on their teams together,” he added.
The first 24/7 Trust Bars opened in April in Seoul’s Hongdae district, timed with the UEFA Champions League season. The launch coincides with the tournament’s semi-finals this week, leading up to the final on 31 May.
