National Museum of Korea's MU:DS Sales Surpass 40 Billion Won for the First Time Ever

First Time Since the Foundation Was Established in 2004

With growing interest in traditional Korean culture, the annual sales of the National Museum's cultural product brand 'MU:DS' have surpassed 40 billion won for the first time ever.

Exterior of the National Museum of Korea. Provided by the National Museum of Korea

On December 30, the National Museum Cultural Foundation announced that the annual sales of the museum's cultural product brand 'MU:DS' have recently exceeded 40 billion won, according to provisional figures. This marks the first time since the foundation was established in 2004 that such a record has been achieved. After reaching cumulative sales in the 30 billion won range for the first time in October this year, 'MU:DS' quickly surpassed the 40 billion won mark within just two months, setting a new all-time high.

'MU:DS' is a cultural product brand developed based on the collections of the National Museum of Korea and its affiliated regional museums. The name is a combination of 'museum' and 'goods.' Representative products include accessories inspired by the Silla golden crown, lighting modeled after Seokguram Grotto, and a miniature of the Pensive Bodhisattva, which is known to be owned by BTS member RM.

This year, 'MU:DS' sales surged in line with the global spread of K-culture. While monthly sales remained in the 2 billion won range from April to June, sales skyrocketed to 4.957 billion won in July and reached 5.276 billion won in August. The total sales of 'MU:DS' products over these two months alone exceeded 10 billion won.

This growth is attributed to heightened global interest in traditional Korean culture following the worldwide success of the Netflix animation "K-Pop Demon Hunters," which was released in June. The upward sales trend continued, with 4.384 billion won in September, 4.872 billion won in October, and 4.697 billion won in November, maintaining monthly sales above the 4 billion won mark. It is reported that sales also surpassed 4 billion won this month.

If the final annual sales figures include all revenue from offline museum shops nationwide, the online store, and trademark royalties, the total could increase even further. Some popular items have even sparked so-called "open run" phenomena, where customers rush to purchase products as soon as stores open.

The number of visitors to the National Museum of Korea has also risen sharply. As of 2 p.m. on December 11 this year, the museum had recorded over 6 million visitors, setting a new record since its opening in 1945.

President Lee Jaemyung recently mentioned 'MU:DS' during a work briefing with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the National Museum of Korea, commenting, "I heard you sold an incredible amount. Well done."

The National Museum Cultural Foundation is also accelerating its overseas expansion. In May this year, 'MU:DS' was showcased at the Osaka-Kansai Expo in Japan, and in October, the first permanent promotional center was opened at the Korean Cultural Center in Hong Kong.

Next year, to commemorate the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France, a collaborative product themed on 'smile' will be launched in partnership with GrandPalais Rmn, a public institution under the French Ministry of Culture. There is talk of products featuring cultural heritage representative of both countries, such as the 'Mona Lisa' of the Louvre Museum and the Pensive Bodhisattva (National Treasure Gilt-bronze Maitreya in Meditation) of the National Museum of Korea.