Lotte World Tower lights up, friends exchange sticks for Pepero Day this year

Many Koreans celebrated Pepero Day on Monday by exchanging chocolate-covered biscuit sticks with friends and family, while Lotte World Tower was lit up by a gigantic Pepero graphic to commemorate the day.

People look for Pepero snacks at a supermarket in Seoul on Sunday, a day before Pepero Day. [YONHAP]

Many Koreans celebrated Pepero Day on Monday by exchanging chocolate-covered biscuit sticks with friends and family, while Lotte World Tower was lit up by a gigantic Pepero graphic to commemorate the day.

“My parents usually buy Pepero for me on Pepero Day, but this year, I bought some online and gave them to my friends, as they are taking the national college entrance exam this week,” said a 19-year-old student in an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily in Mapo District, western Seoul, on Monday.

Pepero Day, which falls on Nov. 11, is a lighthearted version of Valentine’s Day in Korea. Koreans exchange Pepero or similar snacks, such as chocolate, with friends, co-workers and loved ones to express love and support.

The origins of this local celebration, however, are less sentimental than today’s tradition. It is known to have started in the 1990s when teenage girls in Busan began sharing long, thin Pepero sticks, wishing for their friends to "grow tall and slim."

Lotte Wellfood, the manufacturer of Pepero, recognized the potential of this trend and soon turned it into an annual marketing event, driving significant sales of Pepero snacks for both the company and retailers in the days surrounding Pepero Day.

Convenience store chain 7-Eleven saw a 20 percent increase in sales from Nov. 1 to Thursday compared to the same period last year.

Although Pepero Day is not an official holiday and is largely a commercial event, many people enjoy celebrating it as a chance to share small but meaningful gestures.

“Although Pepero Day may have commercial intentions, I think it’s worth continuing. It’s a good opportunity to show appreciation to friends and family,” said the 19-year-old student.

The continued celebration and high participation in the event can be attributed to special promotions and collaborations by Pepero manufacturers and retailers. Every year, companies partner with brands, artists and characters to make the celebration even more special.

7-Eleven offered Pepero items featuring popular Sanrio characters while providing limited-edition items in collaboration with beauty brand Amuse and with British illustrator Hattie Stewart.

Lotte Wellfood collaborated with girl group NewJeans, who were reappointed as brand ambassadors for its global Pepero campaign, featuring them on Pepero boxes.

Graphics commemorating Pepero Day, an annual holiday on which Korean residents gift the snack to their loved ones, appears on Lotte World Tower in Jamsil, southern Seoul, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Tuesday. [LOTTE WELLFOOD]

The company took the celebration to the next level, lighting up the Lotte World Tower in Jamsil, southern Seoul, with large Pepero graphics. The display, featuring Pepero characters, will show from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Monday.

Despite the popularity of Pepero Day, not everyone is excited about this local celebration. “I honestly have no interest in Pepero Day. I don’t plan to celebrate it, and I don’t think others have to either,” said a university student.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has been promoting Nov. 11 as Garaetteok (traditional Korean rice cake sticks) Day since 2006. Garaetteok Day is a celebration of Agriculture Day, a legal holiday celebrated on Nov. 11 to underscore the importance of agriculture in Korea since 1996.

To commemorate the 19th anniversary of Garaetteok Day, Daegu City Government distributed over 2,500 garaetteok lunch boxes to local residents on Monday morning at Jungangno Station.

BY WOO JI-WON [woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]