Buchang Confectionery opened a new store on Oct. 2 on basement level one of Lotte World Mall in Songpa District, Seoul. By entering a key commercial area in southern Seoul, it secured a foothold for brand expansion.
Buchang Confectionery's walnut cookies were selected as the official dessert for the APEC summit to be held in Gyeongju in Oct. Global brand stature was strengthened as they were introduced as the official dessert at a gathering attended by world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
In Gyeongju, the host city, the "Smile Gyeongju" campaign—welcoming foreigners with warm smiles—is spreading. A small campaign started by a youth-led company expanded into a nationwide support movement as celebrities, including Kim Junsu, Tak Jae-hoon, Lee Sang-min, and Lee Jang-woo, and figures from various fields joined in. Recently, it evolved into a cultural movement that citizens can join directly through the launch of merchandise.
Buchang Confectionery is a bakery that opened in Gyeongju in 1963. It once closed, but founder's maternal grandson Lee Kyung-won, CEO of FG, and actor Lee Jang-woo brought it back through a 2023 renewal. Six months after relaunch, cumulative sales surpassed 100 million units, earning a Guinness World Records listing. Japan's Nikkei newspaper introduced it as "a popular Korean dessert."
Lee Kyung-won, CEO of FG, said, "The opening of the Lotte World Mall store, selection as the official APEC dessert, and the nationwide spread of the Smile Gyeongju campaign are important turning points in Buchang Confectionery's growth," adding, "Through innovation and expansion, we will establish ourselves as a dessert brand loved in markets around the world."