Annual sales of MU:DS, the cultural product brand of the National Museum of Korea, surpassed 40 billion won for the first time.
According to the National Museum Foundation of Korea (NMF) on the 30th, this year's MU:DS sales topped 40 billion won. This is the best performance since the foundation was established in 2004. MU:DS sales first reached the 30 billion won range in October this year and, two months later, recorded the 40 billion won range.
Popular items include the pensive bodhisattva miniature, the magpie-and-tiger badge, and the Baekje gilt-bronze incense burner miniature. The pensive bodhisattva miniature, known to be owned by BTS' RM, and the magpie-and-tiger badge, which drew attention thanks to the Netflix animation "K-pop Demon Hunters," even sold out.
Monthly sales also rose sharply. From April to June, monthly sales were in the 2 billion won range, then surged to the 4.9 billion won range in July and about 5.276 billion won in August. This is seen as a result of heightened interest in Korean culture driven by globally successful content. Since September through this month, monthly sales have consistently remained above 4 billion won.
President Lee Jae-myung recently mentioned MU:DS' performance in briefings from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the National Museum of Korea, encouraging officials by saying "well done."
MU:DS' popularity also led to an increase in museum visitors. On the 11th, the number of visitors to the National Museum of Korea surpassed 6 million this year, the highest since it opened in 1945.
The foundation is also expanding into overseas markets. In October, it opened its first permanent promotional hall at the Korean Cultural Center in Hong Kong, and next year, marking the 140th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic ties, it is considering launching a joint product inspired by the Louvre Museum's "Mona Lisa" and Korea's "pensive bodhisattva."