Lotte Department Store, National Museum Popup Draws 40,000 Visitors
Shinsegae Duty Free Also Screening Cultural Heritage Since Last Month
"Increase in Foreign Tourists, MZ Generation's Value Consumption Impact"
On the afternoon of the 28th, the area in front of Tongin Market in Jongno-gu, Seoul, was bustling with foreigners dressed in colorful hanbok and sporting daenggi hairstyles. When a foreigner holding a 'Yeopjeon Exchange Voucher' entered the customer satisfaction center on the second floor inside Tongin Market, the staff handed over a bundle of a dozen or so old brass coins tied with a red ribbon instead of a coupon. A foreigner wearing a white jeogori and a pink skirt seemed fascinated by the faded brass coins engraved with the Chinese characters for 'Tongin Market,' repeatedly touching them with curiosity.
Shinsegae Duty Free has been giving out Yeopjeon exchange vouchers worth about 8,000 won, usable at Tongin Market, to customers who purchase over $20 at the duty-free store since early this year. This is to provide a special experience to foreign tourists who have encountered Yeopjeon through Korean cultural content such as Netflix. The response has been positive. A Shinsegae Duty Free representative said, "Along with the existing free hanbok rental event, we have been giving out Tongin Market Yeopjeon exchange vouchers to visitors since this year, and the results are good," adding, "About 30 people use it steadily every day, and the reaction from tourists who have experienced the Yeopjeon is enthusiastic."
Foreign tourists dressed in hanbok are taking commemorative photos near Gyeongbokgung Palace in Jongno-gu, Seoul. [Photo by Shinsegae Duty Free]
The distribution industry is actively utilizing 'Hiptradition' marketing, which modernly reinterprets our traditional culture. Hiptradition is a newly coined term combining 'hip,' meaning 'up-to-date with the latest trends,' and 'tradition.' Recently, not only foreign tourists but also the MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z), who consider our traditional culture not old-fashioned but rather 'hip,' has been increasing, drawing more attention from the industry to this trend.
According to the distribution industry on the 30th, the 'Treasure That Came to Me, MU:DS (Museum Goods)' pop-up store held by Lotte Department Store at the basement level 1 of its Myeongdong main store from the 28th of last month to the 4th of this month attracted over 40,000 customers in one week. This exhibition was the first event in the industry planned by Lotte Department Store in collaboration with the National Museum Cultural Foundation, showcasing about 200 types of goods that allow visitors to experience Korean traditional culture, including celadon, white porcelain, crafts, calligraphy, and the Ban-gasa-yu statue. Especially, a long line of both domestic and foreign visitors formed in front of the 'Ban-gasa-yu Statue Miniature,' which became a hot topic after BTS member RM posted it on his personal social media. The 'White Porcelain Moon Jar Goods,' popular for its unique curves, were sold to a foreign tourist for over 800,000 won.
With this pop-up exceeding expectations in popularity, Lotte Department Store is planning similar events. A Lotte Department Store representative said, "We plan to promote similar events, including developing exclusive goods in collaboration with the National Museum of Korea as early as this year."
Miniature of the Bangasayusang displayed at Lotte Department Store's 'Treasure to Me, MU:DS (Museum Goods)' popup Photo by Lotte Department Store
Experts cite the increase in foreign tourists due to the endemic (periodic outbreak of infectious diseases) and the MZ generation's 'value consumption' as the background for goods inspired by our traditional culture becoming new 'cash cows' in the distribution industry. Not only have foreign tourists interested in Korean culture started entering the country in earnest this year, but among young people, the trend of purchasing products that are culturally meaningful beyond mere consumption has spread, creating this trend. The previous Lotte Department Store traditional culture goods pop-up was mainly attended by domestic customers in their 20s and 30s who are enthusiastic about Hiptradition.
The surge in foreign tourists following the COVID-19 pandemic also supports this trend. According to the Tourism Knowledge Information System, 888,776 overseas travelers entered Korea in April this year, a 594.8% increase compared to the same month last year. The number of overseas visitors to Korea has been increasing from 967,000 in 2021 to 3,198,000 in 2022, and 2,603,000 visitors from January to April 2023.
Shinsegae Duty Free Myeongdong Store also started an event in collaboration with the National Museum of Korea on May 20th, screening digital cultural heritage videos every Saturday. The screening content includes six titles such as 'Feast of the Immortals,' 'When the Peony Blooms,' and 'Gokun Gugok.' Notably, this year, director Lee Byung-woo, famous as the music director for films like 'The King and the Clown,' 'The Host,' and 'The Face Reader,' specially composed music exclusively for this event.
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