"One Family a Day" InterContinental Launches Premier First Birthday Party Package

Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas, 'Premier Delpoi Dol Package'.

[Asia Economy Reporter Yuri Kim] The Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas announced on the 6th that it has started accepting advance reservations for the 2022 Premier Doljanchi Package, the 'Premier Delphoi Dol Package,' which allows only one customer per day on weekends to make a reservation.

The doljanchi venue is the Delphoi Room on the top floor (39th floor) of the Parnas Tower located at the Samsung Station intersection in Seoul. It offers views of the Gangnam cityscape, the Han River, and Namsan. In a private party space with an outdoor garden, photo shoots commemorating the child's first birthday are possible, and a dedicated dol table setting, celebration cake, and a course menu for up to 10 people are prepared.

A representative of the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas said, "This year, there have been many changes to doljanchi, a representative family event, due to COVID-19. The number of guests attending has decreased, and many customers have held studio-style events that only leave dol photos without meals," adding, "Recently, the preference for private banquet halls has especially increased as photos come out well during dol photo shoots." The hotel also explained that many customers who could not hold a doljanchi last year are inquiring about and booking second birthday parties. About 15% of reservations for the first half of next year are for second birthday parties, according to the hotel.

The average number of guests attending doljanchi this year was 8, which is more than a threefold decrease compared to the average of 28 guests in 2019 before COVID-19. This phenomenon became more pronounced as doljanchi shifted from inviting acquaintances to being mainly a direct family event.

Due to COVID-19, the way customers book doljanchi has also changed. Previously, doljanchi reservations were mainly made through phone calls and in-person consultations, but after COVID-19, more than 50% of reservations are non-face-to-face, such as checking the venue through virtual reality (VR) and making payments via the website's smart store. Younger customers who find it burdensome to go out with infants under one year old tend to prefer online non-face-to-face reservations.

This year, a doljanchi product that allows only dol photo shoots without meals was launched and received a good response. The culture of doljanchi, where all family and relatives gather to celebrate the child's first birthday, wish for health, and share a meal, is changing into an event form that leaves memories such as doljabi and dol photo shoots due to COVID-19.

However, the average cost per guest for doljanchi has rather increased. More than 80% of customers inquiring about doljanchi are families with one child, and the average cost per guest for doljanchi has increased to more than twice that before COVID-19.