Due to High Prices and Simplification Trends, Chuseok Meals Also Simplified... New Holiday Customs Amid COVID-19

Changing Holiday Scenes Amid Persistent High Prices
Convenience Foods in Spotlight, Ready-Made Ancestral Rites Tables Also Popular
Diversification of Holiday Food Products
Food Industry Competes in Marketing Efforts

On the first day of the Chuseok holiday, the Kyungdong Market in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, is bustling with citizens out shopping./Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] Yoon Jun-ho (34), an office worker living in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, decided to spend this year's holiday simply. His relatives all agreed to gather at the family home in Busan, planning to prepare simple meals using convenience foods and order delivery for any additional dishes.

Yoon said, "With prices rising so much and not wanting to create uncomfortable situations due to food preparation, the whole family made this decision together," adding, "The quality of convenience foods is excellent, comparable to cooking with fresh ingredients, and it's much better since we don't have to worry about preparing various things before Chuseok."

The image of daughters-in-law sweating over food preparation and kitchens bustling during the Chuseok holiday is gradually disappearing. As the social atmosphere shifts toward simplifying the holiday and high prices continue, holiday dining tables are also changing.

As the trend of simplifying meals and focusing on practicality spreads, easy-to-cook home meal replacements (HMR) are gaining attention during holidays. According to Shinsegae Food on the 10th, analyzing sales of over 30 types of holiday HMR products such as jeokjeon (pan-fried dishes), marinated meats, and rice cakes from the 10th to the 25th of this month, sales increased by 21% compared to the same period last year. The surge in ingredient prices and the significant reduction in the burden of food preparation are seen as reasons for this popularity. During the same period, Pulmuone's HMR products also increased by 132%. Particularly, demand for the Bandut-hansik product line, launched last year, surged. Ourhome also saw a 368% growth in HMR sales compared to the same period last month.

On the first day of the Chuseok holiday, the 9th, travelers are boarding trains heading to their hometowns at Seoul Station. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Holiday foods offered by luxury hotels show similar trends. As of the 7th, Lotte Hotel World announced that sales of their Delight Box increased by about 190% compared to the previous Chuseok. At Lotte Hotel Busan, the 'Charye Table Set' from the Korean restaurant Mugunghwa, sold in limited quantities for Chuseok, was completely sold out. Sales of the Korean beef galbijjim (braised short ribs) set also increased by 120% compared to last Chuseok. The Korean restaurant Bongraeheon at Mayfield Hotel Seoul sold out its 50 limited Chuseok banquet sets priced at 500,000 KRW, and the Plaza Hotel's premium happiness package, a single 500,000 KRW set, was also sold out.

The range of holiday food products is also diversifying. Complete 'Charye Table' sets are popular. Dongwon Dear Food significantly increased the quantity of their 'The Banchan Premium Charye Table' from 200 to about 300 units each holiday season. The simpler 'The Banchan Easy Charye Table' with fewer items is also in demand. Ahead of Chuseok, Daesang released two types of pan-fried dishes through their convenience food brand Homings: 'Gajami-jeon' (pan-fried flounder) and 'Thick Beef Jeon,' both coated with egg batter for enhanced taste. These are new products following the meat meatball introduced earlier this year.

An industry insider said, "With the trend changes combined with the high price situation, the demand for home meal replacements is expected to accelerate even more."