Department Stores Launch Main Sales of Lunar New Year Gift Sets: 100 Million Won Whisky and African Travel Packages

Lotte, Shinsegae, Hyundai, and Galleria to Operate Through Mid-February

The department store industry is moving from pre-orders to the main sales phase for Lunar New Year gift sets.

Lotte Department Store: Signature Premium Hanwoo and Luxury Whisky

Lotte Department Store Lunar New Year Gift Sets. Provided by Lotte Department Store

According to industry sources on January 25, Lotte Department Store will begin its main sales of Lunar New Year gift sets from January 26 to February 15. The company has expanded its selection by offering over 1,000 carefully curated gift sets from around the world, categorized into highly exclusive "ultra-premium" products and practical "trend" products priced between 50,000 and 100,000 won.

First, the luxury signature gift set series "El Premier" will be released in limited quantities. In the livestock category, the "Luxury Gift" set (3 million won), featuring the rarest cuts of 1++(9) grade female Hanwoo beef, expertly prepared by artisans, will be limited to 100 sets. In the fruit category, the "Prestige Collection No.1" (290,000 won) includes premium apples, pears, Hallabong oranges, and red shine muscat grapes. Only fruits that strictly meet all criteria-such as sweetness, shape, and color-are selected from the "large fruit" category, which accounts for about 20% of a single tree's harvest. In seafood, standout products include the "Yeonggwang Gulbi One" (4 million won), which features only the largest and most flavorful winter yellow corvina, each weighing around 400g.

Additionally, Lotte is exclusively launching a "Wild Mushroom Trio" (430,000 won), featuring only the finest domestic Neungi, Songi, and dried Shiitake mushrooms. In alcoholic beverages, the luxury whisky brand "Aberlour" will offer the "Aberlour 50-Year" (115 million won), with only 20 bottles produced and sold worldwide, as an exclusive item.

During the main sales period, customers who purchase wine or health gift sets will receive Lotte gift certificates worth up to 10% of their purchase. On Lotte Department Store Mall, a "three-coupon package" offering up to a 10% discount will be issued through February 17.

Shinsegae Department Store: Premium Hanwoo and Unique Travel Experiences

Shinsegae Department Store Lunar New Year Gift Sets. Provided by Shinsegae Department Store

Shinsegae Department Store will set up special event halls for holiday gift sets at 12 locations nationwide, as well as at House of Shinsegae Cheongdam and Shinsegae Food Market Dogok, from January 30 to February 15, marking the start of the main sales period.

The flagship ultra-premium gift set "5-Star" uses only female Hanwoo cattle from four or fewer farms, each with a marbling score of 8 or 9. In the fruit category, a new set featuring the "Royal Vine" grape variety has been introduced.

Shinsegae's exclusive private brand "Shinsegae Female Hanwoo" has expanded its selection of grilling cuts-such as chuck flap tail, top blade, and skirt steak-by over 30% in response to customer requests.

"Select Farm," a program in which fruit buyers travel nationwide to source the highest-quality fruit directly from producers, has, for the first time, designated the renowned Chachoengsao mango region in Thailand as a Select Farm, offering mangoes imported directly from Thailand. Representative products include the "Shinsegae Female Hanwoo The Prime Gourmet Manbok" set (400,000 won), featuring ribeye, sirloin, chuck flap tail, and skirt steak, and the "Shinsegae Apple, Pear, and Thai Mango" set (110,000 won). Seafood offerings include the "Yeonggwang Spring Gulbi Manbok" (900,000 won), "Shinsegae Boneless Cutlassfish" (350,000 won), and the "Gulbi and Croaker Jeon Set" (120,000 won).

For customers who value experiences, Via Shinsegae is offering unique travel packages, such as a traditional sauce-making journey with master artisan Kisoon Do, a Masters Tournament golf trip in April, a wildlife safari in Africa's Serengeti, and a program to experience the mysteries of the Moai statues and ancient civilizations.

Hyundai Department Store: Ultra-Premium Hanwoo and Unique Gourmet Gifts

Hyundai Department Store Lunar New Year Gift Sets. Provided by Hyundai Department Store

Hyundai Department Store will also hold its main Lunar New Year gift set sales from January 30 to February 16 at food halls in locations such as the Apgujeong Main Store and through online malls The Hyundai.com and Hyundai H Mall.

The number of Hanwoo gift sets has been increased to a record 100,000 sets. The flagship products are "Hyundai Luxury Hanwoo Number Nine" (3 million won) and "Hyundai Luxury Hanwoo Premium Set" (2 million won).

Fruit gift sets have been upgraded with a focus on high-sugar content and new varieties. Moving beyond traditional apple and pear sets, the selection now includes combinations with new dessert fruits such as Shine Muscat grapes, apple mangoes, and Hallabong oranges.

In seafood, the "Hyundai Luxury Chamgulbi Set," featuring only yellow corvina over 35cm in length, will be limited to 10 sets. Additionally, a premium chamgulbi set containing 10 fish, each over 29cm long, called the "Hyundai Luxury Chamgulbi Nan Set" (1.5 million won), is part of the total 150 premium chamgulbi sets available.

Unique gourmet gifts are also being introduced. New offerings this year include the Jeju "St. Isidore Ranch Organic Hanwoo Set" (250,000 won); "Animal Welfare Organic Hanwoo Sets" (360,000 won) from Manhee Farm and Hyunwoo Farm in Haenam, Jeollanam-do; "Hyeonjunbae Farm Jeju Black Hanwoo Set" (300,000 won); "Satgatbong Farm Free-Range Eco-Friendly Hanwoo Set" (340,000 won); and "Daegok Farm Free-Range Eco-Friendly Hanwoo Set" (320,000 won).

Premium ingredients, fermented foods, and traditional liquors are being expanded in line with current trends. The "Peak of a Bite Mae" (660,000 won), which combines top-grade sea urchin roe from the Sea of Okhotsk near Hokkaido, fresh wasabi from Shizuoka grown under strict quality control, and 100-year-old Prunier Ossetra caviar, has seen increased availability since last Chuseok.

Galleria Department Store: 9+ Special Hanwoo, Gangjin Maekwoo, and Gourmet Gifts

Galleria Department Store Lunar New Year Gift Sets. Provided by Galleria Department Store

Galleria Department Store will begin its main sales on January 29. For Hanwoo, the flagship "9+ Special Hanwoo" set will be offered. The "Gangjin Maekwoo" gift set, which Galleria has exclusively provided for 35 years, will see a 30% increase in quantity compared to last year, thanks to continued popularity. Gangjin Maekwoo cattle are raised in Omcheon-myeon, Gangjin, Korea's first eco-friendly agricultural district, and are fed Makgeolli-fermented feed.

For unique gourmet gifts, Galleria is introducing three types of caviar-one of the world's top three delicacies-and the "Premium Reserve Grand Cru (UMF 32+)" from the New Zealand premium Manuka honey brand "Omanuka." UMF (Unique Manuka Factor) is the standard for evaluating Manuka honey quality, and this product represents less than 0.003% of global Manuka honey production, making it the highest grade available.

New this year is a "Wine Accessories" gift set. The wine preservation system brand "Coravin" offers a device that can keep wine fresh for up to about three years after opening the cork.

Galleria has also prepared K-dessert gift sets that reinterpret traditional ingredients in a modern way. Notably, the seaweed snack brand "VASAK" is offering "Barley Shrimp Seaweed Snack," created in collaboration with Michelin one-star Chef Son Jongwon, as well as seaweed snack gift sets featuring hazelnuts, lotus root, perilla seeds, and other ingredients.