Paradise opens VIP-only casino at Walkerhill Hotel

Paradise Co., a South Korean casino operator, unveiled a new VIP section at its Walkerhill Hotel casino, aiming to capitalize on its recent performance surge and collaboration with Walkerhill Hotel's parent company SK Group.

The company said on Thursday that it opened a 388.3-square-meter VIP-only space, transforming a former buffet restaurant on the second floor of the Grand Walkerhill Seoul hotel.

Designed for the top 1% of high rollers, the new area offers seven private gaming rooms, a lounge, and a bar.

This expansion increases the total area of Paradise Casino Walkerhill from 3,934 square meters to 4,587 square meters, adding 20 new table games.

The casino now features 112 tables and 213 slot machines.

Paradise anticipates the VIP expansion will generate 22 billion Korean won ($16.5 million) in revenue next year, rising to 32 billion won by 2026.

The move comes as Paradise enjoys a period of strong performance.

The company surpassed 1 trillion won in sales for the first time in 2023, and in the first half of 2024 achieved 538 billion won, a 15% year-on-year increase.

Paradise is further expanding its VIP offerings with the planned opening of a dedicated lounge at Gimpo International Airport next month, catering to high-spending clientele.

Write to Hyun-jin Ra at raraland@hankyung.com