3.3 Million Won Gold Bar vs Sold-Out Desserts... Convenience Stores Battle for Seollal Gift Sets

GS Retail, From Gold Bars to Cost-Effective Gifts
CU, This Year's Hit Products and Popular Restaurant Menu Sets
7-Eleven, SNS Trending Products… Emart24, Practical Items

The convenience store industry is unveiling gift sets one after another ahead of the Lunar New Year next month. Marking the Year of the Blue Snake, Eulsan year, gift sets range from gold bars to the best-selling hit products of the year. In particular, convenience stores are actively targeting the demand for Lunar New Year gifts, the biggest peak season in the distribution industry, by releasing a large number of cost-effective gift sets for consumers with thinner wallets due to high prices.

According to the distribution industry on the 23rd, GS25 launched about 820 types of holiday gift sets under the theme of ‘Our Neighborhood Gift Shop’ starting today. They are selling unique gift sets such as gold bars and alcoholic beverages to celebrate the New Year, as well as cost-effective gift sets considering the prolonged high prices.

GS25, Over 550 Cost-Effective Gift Sets

The model is posing while holding the value-for-money gift set, Cheongsa Liquor Edition, released by GS25. Provided by GS25.

GS25 released gold and silver medals and gold bars featuring images of the ‘snake’ and ‘peony,’ symbolizing the Blue Snake year and prosperity. The main products include gold and silver medal sets (gold 15.55g, silver 31.1g, 3.99 million KRW) and gold bars ranging from 3.75g (655,000 KRW) to 37.5g (6.222 million KRW). Traditional liquors, sake, and whiskey planned as the Cheongsa (Blue Snake) edition were also launched as special gift sets. These products are characterized by elegantly incorporating the Blue Snake image into the liquor packaging. Exclusively operated by the industry, they sell through the liquor smart order ‘Wine25Plus’ including ▲12-year aged Makgye-ro Invitation Blue Snake label (sweet potato soju), ▲Hwayo 53% Cheongsa edition, ▲Diablo Cheongsa edition, and ▲Johnnie Walker Blue Cheongsa edition.

The cost-effective product lineup has also been expanded. About 550 cost-effective gift sets are available for purchase between 10,000 and 100,000 KRW. From exclusive canned sets like Dongwon Mega Tuna Set that combine practicality and fun to fruits, Korean beef, alcoholic beverages, and electronic devices, a wide variety of practical products across almost all categories have been prepared, significantly expanding options for customers and stabilizing holiday prices. Until the 10th of next month, customers who pre-purchase 97 popular gift sets such as Korean beef, dried yellow corvina, and canned goods with affiliated credit cards can receive exceptional discounts like 1+1 and 3+2 offers.

CU, Differentiated Gifts Including 'Napolimatpia Tiramisu'

A model is promoting the 2025 Lunar New Year gift set. Provided by CU.

CU prepared about 700 types of Lunar New Year gift sets, including differentiated gift sets composed of desserts and famous local restaurants and specialties.

CU is the first in the industry to compose convenience store products that shone in the distribution industry this year into Lunar New Year gift sets. They released the Napolimatpia planned set (16,900 KRW), which contains chestnut and strawberry tiramisu cups, Yonsei chestnut tiramisu, and strawberry pistachio cream bread in one box. This planned set was launched in collaboration with Chef Kwon Seong-jun, who attracted attention this year.

Additionally, CU prepared planned sets including the convenience store’s representative product Yonsei Milk Cream Bread (4 pieces, 23,400 KRW) and Yonsei Milk Cream Rice Cake (6 pieces, 22,900 KRW) with limited edition keyrings, as well as the convenience store’s representative bread brand Bakehouse 405’s large-sized (400g) roll cake (12,900 KRW).

They also exclusively prepared products from famous restaurants and local specialties. Some of these products offer an additional 20% on-site discount when paid with BC Card from the 1st of next month for 22 days. First, they present four sets (45,000 to 110,000 KRW) of signature menus such as premium ribs and straw-grilled meat from ‘Montan,’ seasoning ribs and beef bulgogi sets (89,000 to 185,000 KRW) from Cheonggiwa Town, and four sets (195,000 to 310,000 KRW) containing 1++ grade Korean beef from Apgujeong U Tender. They also prepared about 30 reasonably priced specialties representing seven regions, including Yeonggwang dried yellow corvina, Hoengseong Korean beef, and Wando live abalone. All products can be purchased through the app ‘Pocket CU,’ and some products offer a value benefit of one free item for every 10 purchased.

Seven Eleven Unveils Planned Gift Sets Including 'MD Recommended 20'

Seven Eleven prepared about 400 gift sets for the Lunar New Year. This year, they are introducing planned gift sets such as ‘MD Recommended 20,’ which gathers special products that have been trending on social media (SNS).

Among the MD recommended gift sets, they sell a marinated rib set from ‘Haeundae Amso Galbijip,’ a 50-year-old traditional restaurant located in Haeundae, Busan, where waiting lines form an hour before opening. They also prepared two types of ‘Choi Hyun-seok’s Handon Hanwoo Hamburg Steak 10-pack,’ a star chef who has appeared on several broadcasts.

They also offer ‘Recommended 20 by Price Range’ for reasonable gifts. These include processed and oil gift sets under 30,000 KRW consisting of ham and cooking oil, dried yellow corvina gift sets under 50,000 KRW with 20 domestic croakers, fruit gift sets under 100,000 KRW weighing 5.4kg with 11 kinds of fruits, and four types of meat sets ranging from 130,000 KRW to 498,000 KRW.

The ‘Best 20 Products’ are also worth noting. Popular holiday gift sets from nine categories including processed foods, seafood, and alcoholic beverages can be seen at a glance.

Since 2021, Seven Eleven has also been selling pure gold products. They prepared various pure gold products such as the Korean Gold Exchange Snake Heart Gold Bar 1g, Snake Gold Bar 3.75g (1 don), and Gold Bar 37.5g (10 don). These products are sold in three phases reflecting market prices, and all purchased products come with a certificate of authenticity certified by the Korean Gold Exchange. Along with these, they also sell the ‘Korean Gold Exchange Silver Bullion Medal Set’ and ‘Silver Bar 1000g,’ which are engraved with 12 zodiac signs.

Emart24 Offers Products Under 50,000 KRW Tailored to 'Practicality' and 'Usefulness'

Emart24 is launching 214 gift sets reflecting the trends of practicality and usefulness for the Lunar New Year. To help customers prepare holiday gifts cost-effectively amid prolonged high prices, they doubled the number of discounted items compared to last year. More than half of the total products are composed of ‘practical products’ that can be purchased for under 50,000 KRW.

Representative products available for under 50,000 KRW include fruit gift sets such as ‘Low Carbon Certified Jangsu Apples,’ ‘Low Carbon Shine Muscat Set,’ and ‘Practical Semi-Dried Persimmon Set,’ as well as canned and seasoning gift sets. Convenient meal gift sets such as cheese, sausages, and fish cakes can also be purchased in the 30,000 to 50,000 KRW range.

Emart24 is also holding a discount event from the 23rd of this month to January 15th. They selected 24 popular holiday gift sets and are selling them at a 20% discount. Discounted products include Woomihak 1st Grade Korean Beef Gift Set A (discounted price 80,000 KRW), Select U.S. LA Galbi Grilled Set (70,000 KRW), and Andong Apple Set 12 pieces (44,800 KRW), among others. These are products that have been the most popular during holidays every year.

Additionally, they prepared practical small home appliances priced between 90,000 and 200,000 KRW. These include the clothing care device ‘Cityfy Style Lab Mini Clothing Care Device’ suitable for single-person households, home massage devices such as ‘Pulio Pulision Massage Boots,’ ‘Pulio Massager,’ and ‘Cypress Forest Jwahun Foot Bath’ that are popular both as filial piety products for parents and among young customers.