Lotte Homeshopping's Bellygom Becomes Official Character of Yeongdeungpo District

Joint Promotion of Social Contribution Programs
Planning Cultural Tourism Content and Supporting Small Business Owners

Lotte Homeshopping announced on July 21 that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Yeongdeungpo District on the 18th to promote local culture and revitalize the local economy using the Bellygom IP.

Lotte Homeshopping signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the 18th with Yeongdeungpo District Office to promote local culture and revitalize the local economy using the Bellygom IP. (From left: Ho-kwon Choi, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo District, Jaekyeom Kim, CEO of Lotte Homeshopping)

The signing ceremony, held at the Yeongdeungpo District Office, was attended by Jaekyeom Kim, CEO of Lotte Homeshopping, Jihyun Jeong, Head of Content Development Lab, Ho-kwon Choi, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo District, Heenam Song, Head of the Department of Culture and Sports, and other officials.

This agreement was established to foster mutual cooperation between Lotte Homeshopping, whose headquarters are located in Yeongdeungpo District, and the district itself. It aims to incorporate Bellygom, which has a fandom of 1.7 million, into local content for use in festivals, tourism, and the promotion of small businesses. Under the agreement, both parties will cooperate in jointly promoting social contribution programs, co-planning and producing cultural tourism content, and supporting local small business owners.

As the start of its full-scale local activities, Bellygom will make a surprise appearance at the summer festival "Dae Piseo," to be held on August 8 at Yeongdeungpo Park, where it will meet with Yeongdeungpo residents. Two-meter-tall mini Bellygom statues will be set up throughout the venue as photo spots, and there will also be an event to give away Bellygom merchandise to Yeongdeungpo residents.

In the second half of the year, Bellygom will participate in Yeongdeungpo District's major cultural events such as "Seonyu Village Swimming Pool," "Seonyuro-un," "Beer Festival," and "October Seonyu," presenting a variety of collaborative content. Moving forward, the partnership will expand in various ways, including producing merchandise using the Bellygom character and appointing Bellygom as an honorary ambassador.

Bellygom has already been actively engaging in regional win-win activities through collaborations with public institutions. In 2023, Bellygom signed an MOU with Korail Retail and held exhibitions and sold merchandise at railway stations nationwide. In June, during the "Wants Suncheon" festival hosted by Suncheon City, the "Fun Slow Walking" event with Bellygom received an enthusiastic response.

Jaekyeom Kim, CEO of Lotte Homeshopping, stated, "With a fandom of 1.7 million, Bellygom is evolving beyond a popular character into content that can coexist with the local community. We will continue to deliver joy and value to more people through content that can be enjoyed by businesses, local governments, and residents together, creating a true model of mutual growth."