PARADISE CITY is an integrated resort located in Incheon, South Korea. It is classified as part of the “Gaming Business,” one of SEGA SAMMY Group’s three business segments. The SEGA SAMMY Group’s  current gaming business is founded on the insights and experience gained through operating this integrated resort and casino.

PARADISE SEGASAMMY Co., Ltd., the operating entity, was established in 2012 as a joint venture between South Korea’s PARADISE GROUP and the SEGA SAMMY Group. In 2017, it opened PARADISE CITY, South Korea’s first integrated resort, which will mark its ninth year in 2026. In response to rising demand in recent years, the Hyatt Regency Incheon PARADISE CITY opened on an adjacent site in March 2026. The resort continues to expand its portfolio of attractions and plans to open a new concept theme park, Smart Racing Park, in the future.

PARADISE CITY is an integrated resort featuring a hotel, casino, convention center, retail complex, and entertainment facilities. These diverse venues operate collectively to offer a full spectrum of experiences tailored to visitors’ purposes and preferences. Throughout the property, over 3,000 works by world-renowned artists—including Yayoi Kusama and Damien Hirst—blend seamlessly into the spaces and pathways, creating an environment where art is ever-present, and visitors can immerse themselves in creative expression with every step. Combined with captivating spatial design, music, performances, dining, and relaxation, PARADISE CITY has become a destination that transcends the boundaries of “staying,” “playing,” “viewing,” and “tasting.” Its location—just a 5-minute  drive from South Korea’s Incheon International Airport—is another major draw for guests visiting from across Asia and around the world.

The concept behind PARADISE CITY is “ART-TAINMENT,” an intricate blend of “ART” and “ENTERTAINMENT.” In this context, however, “ART” does not simply refer to works of art. Likewise, “ENTERTAINMENT” does not refer to the facility itself. “ART-TAINMENT” is about transforming every guest experience into ART and providing ENTERTAINMENT. It is this pursuit that defines PARADISE CITY’s “ART-TAINMENT.”

Mr. Murakami, who works at PARADISE SEGASAMMY, gave us a tour of the facility.

Murakami
The first thing you’ll see as you enter the lobby is the “PARADISE HOTEL & RESORT.” It’s the flagship hotel of PARADISE CITY, with a total of 711 rooms. Guest accommodations are broadly divided into three separate areas: the “GOLD WING,” which offers a luxurious stay; the “RED WING,” located near the conference rooms and ideal for business travelers; and the “PURPLE WING,” a family-friendly wing where both children and adults can enjoy themselves.

The PURPLE WING area is especially popular with families because it’s located near the “FAMILY LOUNGE” and “SAFARI PARK,” both designed for families with children. The FAMILY LOUNGE features plush play equipment so even young children can play safely, and offers educational activities such as English conversation classes and art workshops at scheduled times. The SAFARI PARK play area also includes bowling and darts facilities. While the bowling lanes are professional-grade, lightweight balls and lanes designed for young children are also available, catering to the enjoyment of the entire family. In addition, at “PLAY LAB”—where guests are greeted by a Sonic the Hedgehog monument from SEGA CORPORATION (“SEGA”)—guests are free to experience the SEGA SAMMY Group’s flagship game content.

The hotel also features the “Deluxe Pool Villa,” PARADISE CITY’s highest-tier accommodation, priced at approximately 2 million yen per night. Guests can enjoy a luxurious stay in a completely private setting.

Murakami
PARADISE CITY features both indoor and outdoor pools, offering a spacious, open environment befitting a luxury destination, perfect for leisurely relaxation. In particular, “CIMER” is a new-concept art spa that blends European and Korean styles, divided into two main zones: the AQUA SPA ZONE, where guests can enjoy the pools, and the JJIMJIL SPA ZONE, where guests can detoxify through Korean-style hot baths and saunas (jjimjilbang). Since facilities other than the casino are open to Korean residents as well, CIMER is a highly popular destination among Korean visitors and, especially in the summer, becomes a bustling hotspot.

Murakami
What truly sets PARADISE CITY apart is its experiential design—not simply “viewing art,” but “living among art.” Countless artworks are on display throughout the facility, and the entire complex—from the lobby and hallways to the plazas—is designed as a single artistic space. By creating an environment where visitors naturally come into contact with art, PARADISE CITY offers a unique and unparalleled appeal.

Murakami
The “PLAZA” shopping mall, with its iconic roof, functions as the hub of PARADISE CITY. Inside the building, visitors will find “ART PARADISO,” a luxurious designer hotel with 58 suites, plus a diverse culinary scene centered on Korean cuisine—including K-BBQ, offal dishes, and Korean chicken hot pot—along with cafes and boutique shops. An on-site art gallery showcases works of art, ensuring a rich array of experiences that make visiting the mall truly enjoyable.

Murakami
The convention facilities are also well-equipped and are used for a broad range of purposes—from international conferences, corporate events, award ceremonies, and trade shows to weddings. The largest venue, the “Grand Ballroom,” can accommodate approximately 1,820 people and is frequently used for corporate events by both domestic and overseas companies. Events are also held regularly for casino guests, which helps attract repeat visitors.

PARADISE CITY, operated as a joint venture between Japan and South Korea, embodies the legacy of ingenuity and the passion of SEGA SAMMY Group employees dispatched from Japan. We spoke with the local management team about the nine years of growth since the resort’s opening and the challenges they’ve overcome by leveraging synergies.

—Could you tell us about the background behind the founding of PARADISE SEGASAMMY?

Aoyama
PARADISE CITY’s origins lie in the dreams envisioned by both the PARADISE GROUP and the SEGA SAMMY Group.

The PARADISE GROUP was aiming to create South Korea’s very first integrated resort. Back then, although there were small-scale foreigners-only casinos in South Korea, there were no full-scale integrated resorts featuring hotels and entertainment facilities. Meanwhile, the SEGA SAMMY Group, with an eye toward future participation in the integrated resort business in Japan, sought to cultivate expertise in integrated resort operations and the Gaming Business. The alignment of these shared aspirations between the two companies led to the launch of the project. We consider PARADISE CITY to be more than just a joint venture; it is a project that has embraced the challenge of “creating new, captivating experiences” through a partnership between Japan and South Korea.

―It’s been nine years since opening. How has PARADISE CITY evolved for the Group?

Aoyama
During the initial phase of operations, our primary focus was on building expertise and knowledge in integrated resort and casino management. Through our hands-on involvement in the development and operation of the facilities, we’ve managed to accumulate a wealth of experience.

Since then, we’ve moved into a phase of building on that accumulated expertise to enhance the value of PARADISE CITY itself. In addition to expanding our hotel and entertainment offerings, we’ve also intensified our efforts to improve the quality of our hospitality. Owing to these efforts, we are seeing an increasing number of guests who not only visit primarily for the casino but also choose to stay to enjoy the resort experience. As part of our Gaming Business, we’ve also begun developing an  online gaming business for international markets, and the experience and success we’ve gained here at PARADISE CITY has become the foundation for our entire business.

—What is the current state of the South Korean casino market?

Aoyama
There are a total of 18 casino facilities in South Korea, including 17 exclusively for foreign nationals located in various regions such as Seoul, Incheon, Jeju Island, Busan, and Gangwon Province, as well as “Kangwon Land,” the only casino in the country open to South Korean nationals. While Kangwon Land dominates the overall market with a share of over 40 percent, the PARADISE GROUP holds the largest share in the foreigner-only casino segment. Among these, PARADISE CITY boasts the highest revenue of any foreigner-only casino in South Korea and operates as Northeast Asia’s first and one of South Korea’s largest integrated resorts.

—As an integrated resort, how would you define the unique appeal of PARADISE CITY?

Aoyama
It may sound like I’m tooting my own horn, but I believe our greatest appeal lies in the “quality of the setting.” We’ve designed the property to create experiences even more luxurious than those found in typical five-star hotels. While some integrated resorts—like those in Macau—overwhelm visitors with their sheer size, PARADISE CITY is characterized by its compact yet serene atmosphere and understated elegance.

The artworks on display throughout the premises also play a major role. These pieces aren’t replicas—they’re all originals. I don’t think there’s any other place where you can experience authentic works by internationally renowned artists like Yayoi Kusama, simply by walking around the facility. I think it’s a place that offers an unparalleled, exquisite experience of feeling close to art simply by being there, without even having to visit an art museum.

—How did the “ART-TAINMENT” concept come about?

Aoyama
Our partner, the PARADISE GROUP, also operates a cultural foundation. Building on this background, it sought to make “art” the facility’s core theme. This vision resonated deeply with us, and we joined forces to bring it to life. Beyond simply displaying artworks, our fundamental philosophy is to use art to shape the physical space itself and offer guests an experience where they can interact with authentic art. I believe this concept is what has led guests—not only from South Korea but also from Japan—to describe it as “one of a kind.”

—Given that this is a Japan-South Korea joint venture, how did you go about building a relationship of trust?

Aoyama
I was seconded from the SEGA SAMMY Group to the local office around 2014. Initially, there were only a few of us, and we began by overseeing casino operations within PARADISE CITY. When I first arrived, among the approximately 600 local PARADISE employees, only six of us from the SEGA SAMMY Group were seconded to support the launch, and during that time, we learned a great deal from our local colleagues. Having weathered the launch phase together created a strong sense of camaraderie, almost like we were “classmates,” and today we’re dedicated to running the business under a solid partnership. While SEGA SAMMY members were initially assigned solely to casino operations, they are now spread across a wide range of departments—including the hotel division, the resort division, and the planning and marketing departments that support them—and everyone is contributing in their respective roles.

Kono
As a sales representative, I’m primarily involved in client relations. When I first took this position, I started from scratch and searched for clients on my own. As I achieved results in my sales role, my interactions with local employees expanded, and I was able to gradually build stronger relationships with both employees and clients. Although I work in sales, I don’t focus on chasing sales figures; instead, I concentrate on ensuring every guest who visits PARADISE CITY enjoys their experience and leaves wanting to return. While many guests visit the casino, I also strive to ensure that their family members, friends, and loved ones who accompany them are equally satisfied. There are times when I build long-term relationships with individual guests and deepen our human connections.

—Are there any initiatives that leverage group synergies?

Aoyama
As of April 2025, the operation of PARADISE CITY was transferred from SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS INC. to SEGA SAMMY CREATION INC., a Group Company that develops and sells gaming equipment for overseas markets. This transition has created an environment where we can leverage synergies more directly, such as through the installation of the company’s slot machines.

Murakami
I also feel that The SEGA SAMMY Group’s unique expertise has been put to use in Sammy Corporation (“Sammy”)’s new poker business. There’s an app developed and operated by Sammy called “m HOLD’EM,” and we partnered with “m HOLD’EM” to host the “PARADISE CITY Poker Series” tournament.

―Digital transformation (DX) is also being actively pursued in the casino facilities

Aoyama
Promoting digital transformation (DX) in the casino industry is one of our missions. When PARADISE CITY opened, we developed and introduced casino tables capable of recording game data. We believe this was a groundbreaking innovation, as it brought data into the casino industry where the concept of record-keeping had previously been virtually nonexistent. By analyzing this data, we can conduct research that contributes to addressing social issues—such as determining whether certain trends could potentially increase susceptibility to gambling addiction.

The next evolutionary step is the casino smart table “GEMStation.” Although it was originally developed for integrated resorts in Japan, we customized it for PARADISE CITY. PARADISE CITY has endorsed it as a valuable tool for achieving data-driven management, and it was decided that it will be rolled out to nearly all baccarat tables between 2026 and 2027.

Our ultimate goal isn’t simply collecting data. Rather, we take a holistic approach—from how to use the accumulated data to streamline operations and boost sales, all the way to creating systems that drive business growth. We believe this leads to improved hospitality for our customers and tangible solutions to business challenges. By leveraging SEGA SAMMY’s development capabilities, we’re creating never-before-seen casino tables and driving development with the aim of becoming a game-changer in the industry.

―What are your future plans?

Aoyama
We want to continue developing a resort  so that an even wider range of  guests can enjoy it. The recent opening of the “Hyatt Regency Incheon Paradise City,” which increased our number of guest rooms, is part of that effort. We also want PARADISE CITY to remain South Korea’s number one integrated resort. When it comes to hospitality and service, we want to continue being a place where guests say, “PARADISE CITY is the best.”

Murakami
Until now, we’ve held game tournaments once a year, such as the Teams-Based Blackjack Tournament. Recently, we’ve also been hosting poker and baccarat tournaments. We’re considering expanding these tournaments into a larger annual event, maybe under a name like “PARADISE CITY CASINO FESTIVAL.” We’d like to create a destination where people regularly think of PARADISE CITY and say, “It’s that time of year again.”

Also, even though countless forms of entertainment are available online these days, I’m drawn to the fact that we can provide the kind of captivating experiences unique to in-person events. I believe that the sense of unity and exhilaration you feel when you’re together—these emotional connections—can only be shared in a real-world setting. The more digital technology becomes widespread, the more the fun and value of real-world experiences truly stand out. I want the “captivating experiences” we offer here to shine even brighter.

Aoyama
PARADISE CITY is the culmination of the dreams the SEGA SAMMY Group has pursued and the expertise we’ve cultivated to achieve them. What we’re embarking on is a challenge with no single “right answer.” Our approach involves drawing the big picture through group synergy, making the invisible visible through digital transformation, and combining these elements with hospitality to carefully assemble the puzzle that delivers captivating experiences. I believe the insights and successes gained from this venture will fuel diverse synergies as the Group takes on new challenges in the future. I sincerely hope you’ll visit PARADISE CITY and take home the inspiration you find here.

Not only is the facility truly spectacular, but it’s also a one-of-a-kind resort where you can experience the hospitality that the SEGA SAMMY Group and PARADISE GROUP have worked together to refine. We invite you to visit and experience firsthand the culmination of nine years of relentless effort dedicated to refining the guest experience.