Shinsegae Department Store said on the 30th that it logged the highest-ever sales for gift sets for this year's Chuseok. The company said the record was driven by the windfall from the longest holiday period in eight years and the impact of the reopening of the food hall at the Gangnam branch.
Shinsegae said sales rose 21.2% from a year earlier based on tallied results for Chuseok preorders and main sales conducted from Aug. 26 to Sep. 28. In particular, sales for the week from 22nd to 28th, two weeks ahead of Chuseok, increased 27.7% from a year earlier, clearly reflecting the holiday effect.
This year's Chuseok overlaps with National Foundation Day (Oct. 3), Hangeul Day (Oct. 9), and substitute holidays, allowing for up to a 10-day long break. As the longest holiday since 2017, after eight years, demand for gifts increased in place of homecoming travel, which the company said lifted results.
The renewal of the Gangnam branch's food hall also contributed to the performance. The Gangnam branch, which completed the nation's largest food hall by opening a premium deli specialty zone in August, nearly doubled the event space from a year earlier and launched exclusive products using its own IP such as Sweet Park and House of Shinsegae (HOS). As a result, holiday gift sales at the Gangnam branch grew 29.9%, far outpacing the overall growth rate.
By category, Korean beef and fruit were cited as the two top drivers of sales. Korean beef sets priced in the 200,000–300,000 won range and fruit sets in the 120,000–150,000 won range each established themselves as flagship best-sellers. Shinsegae's private label "Shinsegae Amsob Hanwoo" and apple and pear sets posted particularly strong sales. In seafood, advance bulk purchases of yellow corvina, abalone, and hairtail and strengthened direct shipping from production areas led to 35.9% growth.
Alcohol sales also rose. Sales of high-end wines priced at 500,000 won or more increased 60%, and whiskey sets with high scarcity, such as Yamazaki and Hibiki, sold out early on the day of release.
By generation, sales among people in their 20s and 30s rose 24.7%, standing out. They opened their wallets for unique gifts such as whiskey, desserts, and premium wine rather than traditional Korean beef and fruit sets, resulting in a sales share more than three times higher.
Choi Won-jun, an executive director in charge of food at Shinsegae Department Store, said, "This year's Chuseok set a record thanks to the combined effects of the longest holiday in eight years and the renewal of the Gangnam branch's food hall," and added, "Despite higher raw material prices, proactive purchasing and differentiated product planning drove the results. We will continue to lead trends in the holiday gift market with products at various price points tailored to customer demand."