Simplified Holiday Trends... Diverse Gift Sets at Luxury Hotels
From Small-Packaged Meat Sets to Ready Meals... Many Cost-Effective Sets
[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Saeng-hye] As the sight of three generations gathering together for the holidays becomes awkward, the number of households spending the holidays quietly with just their immediate family is increasing. Hotel Lunar New Year gifts are also being simplified. Instead of luxury gift sets costing tens or hundreds of thousands of won, practical gift sets under 100,000 won that have been popular since last year, along with specially portioned premium meats and seafood for a special meal, have appeared.
On the 6th, Shilla Hotel launched the 'Chayo Hanwoo' small-packaged meat gift set for Lunar New Year. 'Chayo' means 'small but useful' in Chinese characters, and the gift set contains Grade 1 Hanwoo beef, conveniently portioned at 200g each for small households to use for one meal. The set is composed of the most popular and versatile cuts such as sirloin, tenderloin, and striploin, making it suitable as a gift for small households. This is the first time Shilla Hotel has introduced a small-packaged meat gift set for small households. Using a skin packaging technique that perfectly seals the product, it minimizes external deformation and enhances meat preservation. The price is 280,000 won, which is relatively affordable compared to other Hanwoo sets priced between 500,000 and 1,200,000 won.
Seoul Dragon City also introduced small-packaged gift sets tailored for 1-2 person households. Premium sets include the 'Lobster Sauce & Abalone Sauce Set' (240,000 won) containing 1.4kg of lobster sauce and 0.6kg of abalone sauce, as well as the 'Morinari Coffee & Espresso Cup Set' (55,000 won), famous as one of Italy's top three coffees, and the 'Althaus Herb Tea and Black Tea Mixed Gift Set' (49,000 won to 69,000 won).
Not only small packaging but also 'cost-effectiveness' Lunar New Year gift sets, which have recently become a trend, have appeared without fail. Lotte Hotel Seoul and Lotte Hotel World prepared products under 100,000 won such as the 'Gisundo Master’s Sauce Practical Set' (50,000 to 100,000 won), made using traditional methods, the 'Honey Set' (80,000 won) consisting of acacia honey, wildflower honey, and chestnut flower honey, and the 'Cheongdo Sweet Persimmon Set' (80,000 won), known for its soft flesh and high sweetness.
Shinsegae Chosun Hotel planned a 100,000 won practical livestock gift set as a corporate special product. The Westin Chosun Seoul launched the 'Wagyu Bulgogi Set' (100,000 won) and the 'L.A. Marinated Short Rib Set' (100,000 won), featuring recipes from the live buffet 'Aria.' The 'Jeju Hairtail Set' (120,000 won), caught one by one by fishing in the clean waters of Jeju’s coastal area, was introduced for the first time as a holiday gift set. Other offerings include the 'Gamtai and Beng-eo Set' (90,000 won), combining seaweed and small fish, the 'Wine & Cheese Set' (100,000 won) including premium Chardonnay wine, and the 'Haeundae Songjeong Seaweed and Kelp Set' (90,000 won).
Imperial Palace Seoul sells the Chinese famous liquor 'Imperial Palace Cheonsan Chinese Liquor' (50,000 won), exclusively imported and sold at the Chinese restaurant 'Cheonsan,' the 'Daegwallyeong Dried Pollack Set' (55,000 won), naturally dried under optimal conditions in Daegwallyeong, the 'Natural Beehive Honey Gift Set' (68,000 won) containing native Jirisan honey, and a healthy granola set (68,000 won) made mainly from oats mixed with various nuts and fruits.
Glad Hotel, following the home meal replacement (HMR) trend, packaged the popular 'Grits Signature Lamb,' launched on Market Kurly last May, as a Lunar New Year gift set. In the holiday product special exhibition, two packs of 600g lamb ribs are sold for 72,000 won. Walkerhill launched gift sets for 'Convenience Premium' including the HMR Yukgaejang set (69,000 won) from the authentic Korean restaurant 'Ondal' and the Galbitang set (113,000 won) from the charcoal-grilled ribs specialty restaurant 'Myeongwol-gwan.'
An industry insider said, "While adding the luxurious image of a top-tier hotel, practical gift sets under 100,000 won are expected to be popular again this Lunar New Year. The difference from before is that the proportion of small-packaged products, containing care for a special meal for households composed of one or two people, has greatly increased."
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