The three major department stores — Lotte, Shinsegae, and Hyundai Department Store — will simultaneously begin early reservation sales for 2026 Chuseok gift sets starting on the 14th. With Chuseok falling on Sept. 25 this year, more than 10 days earlier than last year (early October), and advance reservation sales surging every holiday season, all three companies have greatly increased the number of items and quantities compared with last year.
Lotte Department Store will offer discounts of up to 50% on about 190 items — including meat, seafood, produce, and grocery — at all locations from the 14th to Sept. 3. It has doubled supplies for popular items. Lotte Department Store's advance reservation sales jumped 95% for last year's Chuseok and 120% for this year's Lunar New Year, hitting records back to back. New offerings designed to reduce cooking burden include "premium Korean beef, known as hanwoo & salt" (295,000 won), which pairs 1++ grade premium Korean beef, known as hanwoo with Kongdoo Jeomjeom's Pungmi salt, and "Yeonggwang steamed barley corvina and red seabream" (175,000 won), which comes pre-steamed and packaged.
Shinsegae Department Store will sell more than 370 items from the 14th to Sept. 6. It increased the number of items by 25% from last year. Discounts are 5%–10% for premium Korean beef, known as hanwoo, 20%–30% for corvina, 10%–25% for produce, and up to 65% for health supplements. It is highlighting 21 varieties of "Shinsegae female premium Korean beef, known as hanwoo," sourced by buyers directly at auction to cut distribution stages, and will newly introduce a value produce set priced at 89,500 won.
Hyundai Department Store will offer discounts of up to 25% on about 300 varieties — including premium Korean beef, known as hanwoo, corvina, and produce — from the 14th to Sept. 3, and has increased reservation quantities by 20% from last year. This year, it has expanded beyond food into beauty, home appliances, and tableware. It proposes Baccarat tumblers (set of 2, 380,000 won), a Hästens functional pillow (1 million won), and Bang & Olufsen wireless earphones (727,000 won) as holiday gifts.
Online competition has also heated up. Lotte Department Store Mall is discounting 15,000 popular items by up to 75%, and Shinsegae Department Store Mall has increased the number of gift set brands it carries by 16% from last Chuseok. Hyundai Department Store's online mall The Hyundai Hi and Hyundai H Mall are launching promotions, including coupons that offer up to 10% off.