Korean retail giants unleash marketing warfare for Dragon Year

Pure gold items [Courtesy of GS Retail]

Major retail chains in South Korea are engaging in a marketing battle aimed at capitalizing on the symbolism of the celestial creature in 2024 as the auspicious Year of the Dragon begins.

According to sources on Monday, GS Retail introduced 14 pure gold items inspired by the dragon motif. The standout piece, the Golden Dragon Figure 37.5g, depicting a soaring dragon in three dimensions, commands the highest price at 4.57 million won ($3,500). The Dragon Gold Bar 30g is priced at 3.44 million won, while the Dragon Pure Gold Coin 3.75g is available for 476,000 won.

At GS25 and GS The Fresh stores, customers can browse through catalogs to select their desired pure gold items and place orders. Delivery personnel then personally verify the orders at the customers’ homes before final delivery.

“The sales of pure gold products during last year’s Chuseok holiday surged by 41.9 percent compared to the same period during the Lunar New Year, indicating consumers’ perception of gold as a reliable store of value,” said a GS Retail official.

Dragon Soju [Courtesy of Seven Eleven]

Meanwhile, Seven Eleven unveiled two exclusive distilled soju variants named Dragon Soju, boasting an alcohol content of 25 percent. Dragon 25 offers a smooth taste, while Dragon 41 exudes a vibrant and intense flavor, inspired by the bends of the Hongcheon River in Gangwon Province, similar to the dragon’s movements.

These spirits are crafted without any artificial sweeteners, aiming to capture the natural sweetness of rice, the convenience store brand said.

Household goods store Asung Daiso joined the festivities by releasing dragon-themed products for the Year of the Dragon 2024. These items include winter accessories like sitting dragon toys for babies and scarves adorned with dragon characters.

[Courtesy of Lotte GRS]

In the food and beverage industry, several new products with dragon-themed designs have been introduced. Lotte GRS’s donut franchise, Krispy Kreme Donuts, is launching a Dragon series featuring two new donuts embodying the spirit of the dragon.

[Courtesy of Paris Baguette]

Paris Baguette is rolling out a three-dimensional cake crafted in the likeness of a dragon. The cake features chocolate-made wings, horns, eyes, and tail, with a chocolate cream filling inside.

From the left Blue Dragon Classic Milk Tea, Pink Foam Strawberry Latte, and Blue Dragon Hazelnut Latte. [Courtesy of Starbucks]

Starbucks Korea released three new beverages and three new food items symbolizing the Year of the Dragon on Monday. The offerings include the Blue Dragon Classic Milk Tea, Blue Dragon Hazelnut Latte, and Pink Foam Strawberry Latte.