Shinsegae Department Store Introduces Experiential Lunar New Year Gifts with Master Artisan Ki Soondo

A Gift of "Spending Time and Waiting Together"
Experiential Content Introduced Through "Local is Shinsegae"

Shinsegae Department Store announced on January 20 that it will launch an experiential Lunar New Year gift set ahead of the holiday.

Shinsegae Department Store presents the experiential Lunar New Year gift "Making My Own Jar" by Local is Shinsegae. Provided by Shinsegae Department Store.

Through its proprietary travel content program, “Local is Shinsegae,” Shinsegae Department Store is introducing the experiential program “Making My Own Jang” in collaboration with master artisan Ki Soondo, a renowned figure in Korea’s traditional jang (fermented sauce) culture. Applications for this program are open until February 14 and can be submitted at the Lunar New Year gift sales desks at the main and Gangnam branches of Shinsegae Department Store. The cost is 1.25 million won for two participants.

This is an experiential gift among department store holiday offerings that involves “spending a year together.” Rather than a product that is simply delivered and finished in a short period, this gift proposes the experience of participating in every step-from preparing and fermenting to separating and completing the jang-allowing recipients to accumulate memories over time. It is especially meaningful as it conveys both the depth of traditional food culture and the value of patience.

The “Making My Own Jang” experience will take place in March at the jang storage facility of master Ki Soondo in Damyang, Jeollanam-do. The program begins with participants following the traditional methods preserved by the artisan for decades, refining the meju (fermented soybean blocks) and adding brine to start the jang-making process. Each participant will attach a nameplate engraved with their name to a 20-liter jang jar, creating a unique “jang of my own” that exists nowhere else in the world.

After about three months of fermentation, participants will take part in the “jang separation” process, where soy sauce and soybean paste are separated. This is followed by an additional nine months of aging to complete the entire jang-making process. On the day of making the jang (March) and the day of separation (June), participants will also be treated to a fermented meal prepared by the artisan using local specialty ingredients. The finished soybean paste (about 4kg) and intermediate jang (about 3.5kg) will be delivered to the address of the participant’s choice.

Recently, the trend in holiday gifts has shifted away from standardized, high-priced, or premium brand-focused offerings toward “meaningful gifts” that reflect the recipient’s tastes and values. Shinsegae Department Store has proactively incorporated this change into its holiday gifts. Instead of simply purchasing a finished traditional jang product, the department store has created a structure where the gift itself is the “process of spending time and waiting together.”

Shinsegae Department Store plans to continue expanding experiential content that goes beyond products through the “Local is Shinsegae” program. Lee Sunghwan, Executive Director of Sales Strategy at Shinsegae Department Store, stated, “As the meaning of holiday gifts evolves, Shinsegae will continue to expand diverse content that offers ‘experiences’ beyond just products. Through ‘Local is Shinsegae,’ we aim to naturally connect the culture and craftsmanship of our local regions with customers’ everyday lives, further enhancing the customer experience.”