[News Issue] November 11: 'Pepero Day' or 'Garaetteok Day'?

Every year on November 11, people of all ages exchange stick-shaped chocolate snacks. This commemorative day was created because the four number 1s in 'November 11' resemble four standing Pepero sticks. After several decades, 'Pepero Day' has become an established holiday in South Korea. When did it all start?

The origin of 'Pepero Day' dates back to 1994. It is said that high school girls in Busan and the Yeongnam region exchanged Pepero sticks hoping to become slim like Pepero. An employee of Lotte Confectionery in the Gyeongnam area reported to headquarters every November 11 that Pepero sales skyrocketed. Lotte headquarters then utilized this for marketing, spreading it nationwide. Pepero Day is a holiday created by consumers and nurtured by the distribution industry. The media began covering it from 1996. During the fall and winter season (September to November), when this holiday falls, Pepero sales surge. Forty percent of annual sales are concentrated in this period.

Pepero was launched in 1983. Cumulative sales have exceeded 2 trillion won as of last year. Last year, 202 billion won worth of Pepero was sold domestically (148 billion won) and overseas (54 billion won). In the first half of this year, sales reached 64 billion won. Other confectionery companies like Orion and Haitai Confectionery introduced long chocolate snacks to compete with Pepero, but none matched Pepero's success.

November 11 is also called 'Garaetteok Day.' In 1996, the government designated November 11 as the legal holiday 'Agriculture Day' to raise public awareness that agriculture is the foundation of the national economy and to boost the pride and dignity of farmers. In 2003, AhnCheolSu Research Institute created 'Garaetteok Day' to commemorate Agriculture Day and to promote rice consumption among the younger generation, who consume relatively less rice. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs officially designated it as a day in 2006. The government also holds various events on this day to encourage rice consumption and honor farmers' hard work.

Rice cake / Photo by Asia Economy DB

Japan and China also have commemorative days on November 11. In Japan, November 11 is 'Pocky and Pretz Day.' On this day, friends or lovers exchange stick snacks. It was created because the combination of Pocky, the original of Pepero, and Pretz snacks resembles the number 1. Japan's Pocky and Pretz Day was officially set as November 11 by the Japan Anniversary Association in 1999.

In China, November 11 is 'Singles' Day.' Guanggun (光棍) means a smooth stick shaped like the number 1 and also means single. Since 1111 looks like people standing alone, this day was designated as 'Singles' Day.' In China, some universities prohibit physical contact between opposite sexes on November 11. Additionally, Chinese online shopping malls hold discount events on this day. In 2009, Tmall, a Chinese online shopping mall, held a discount event on Singles' Day encouraging singles to comfort themselves by shopping for themselves. This event was a huge success, leading offline shopping malls such as department stores and large shopping centers to also hold large-scale discount events.