Even During the Off-Season When Students Are on Vacation,
Lunchflation and Woo Young-woo Effect
Sales of Law-Related Books Also Increase
[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] “Gimbap is reliable. You can see the ingredients at a glance, so there’s no surprise in unexpected textures or flavors.”
Recently, the TV drama Extraordinary Attorney Woo became a huge hit, and sales of gimbap, which the female lead Woo Young-woo likes and often eats in the show, have also started to rise. Woo Young-woo is portrayed as a character who eats only gimbap regardless of whether she is at a high-end restaurant or a cafeteria.
According to CU on the 16th, gimbap sales increased by 31% compared to the previous year, GS25’s gimbap sales rose by 26%, Seven Eleven by 30%, and Emart24 by 21% during the same period. Typically, July and August are off-seasons for gimbap sales in convenience stores due to students’ summer vacations, but the combination of lunch inflation caused by high prices and the Woo Young-woo phenomenon further boosted sales. Convenience stores are responding to the increased demand by increasing the main toppings by 10-30% or enlarging the size.
The supermarket industry also showed similar growth. Sales of gimbap and gimbap ingredients in deli sections increased. According to Lotte Mart, gimbap sales in the deli section in July grew by more than 20% year-on-year, and sales of gimbap ingredients such as seaweed, pickled radish, fish cake, and ham also increased by over 10% during the same period. Similarly, Emart’s gimbap and rolls grew by 48%, and Homeplus saw an 81% increase in gimbap sales in the deli section during the same period.
In addition, e-commerce sales related to the drama also increased. Based on the recent one-month period (July 12 to August 11), Gmarket and Auction reported a 70% year-on-year increase in gimbap-related sales. Gimbap and rice ball molds also rose by 42%, and seaweed for gimbap increased by 21%. On 11st, sales of law-related books increased by 19% compared to the previous month due to the ‘Woo Young-woo effect.’
As the drama recently surpassed a 15% viewership rating for its original broadcast and gained sensational popularity at home, products such as gimbap featured in the show appear to be enjoying a spillover benefit. Moreover, with lunch inflation in the high-price era, more people are refraining from dining out and opting for affordable and convenient meals like gimbap, further promoting purchases.
An industry insider said, “For gimbap, May is usually the best-selling month, and July and August, when summer vacation begins, are generally considered off-seasons, but some places saw sales increase more than triangular gimbap,” adding, “It seems that the Woo Young-woo effect combined with high prices drove sales. The increase in purchases of law-related books also reflects the drama’s sensational popularity.”
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