South Korea's retail, restaurant and beauty industries are courting holiday spending ahead of Chuseok, the country's autumn harvest festival. Companies are rolling out promotions ranging from chicken discounts to hotel gift sets and cosmetics packages.
Genesis BBQ Group is running a month-long discount campaign through its own mobile app in September, according to industry sources on the 6th. Under the "Black Pride Day" event held every Friday, the company is offering 4,000 won off its Golden Olive Chicken and Golden Olive Hot Crispy. Customers can download coupons through the BBQ app, and the coupons are valid only on the day they are issued.
The company is also running a "Pickup All Day" promotion for takeout customers. Orders placed for pickup through the BBQ app receive a 5,000 won discount. The company said it is concentrating discounts on its signature menu items and takeout orders to capture demand as family and social gatherings increase ahead of the holiday.
In the hotel sector, Josun Hotels & Resorts is running its "The Art of Gifting" promotion through its official online mall, Josun Taste and Style, until the 25th. The lineup includes holiday gift sets of Korean beef, seafood and fruit, as well as bedding, towels, kimchi and hotel vouchers.
Through the 17th, lifestyle products including bedding, towels, diffusers and room shoes are discounted by up to 50%, while bakery items are up to 25% off and flowers and hotel vouchers are each up to 20% off. Additional discount coupons are offered based on purchase amount: 5% on purchases of 100,000 won or more, 7% on 250,000 won or more and 10% on 400,000 won or more.
In the days just before Chuseok, the company is targeting demand for mobile gifts that require no delivery. From the 18th through the 25th, the day of Chuseok itself, a separate promotion will allow customers to send hotel restaurant dining vouchers, Josun Deli bakery items, flowers, and coffee and tea as mobile gifts.
In the beauty sector, Amorepacific's Sulwhasoo has released a Chuseok gift set marking the 60th anniversary of its flagship anti-aging product, Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream. The cream traces its origins to ABC Ginseng Cream, launched in 1966.
The Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream Rich gift set includes the brand's cleansing foam, First Care Activating Serum, Concentrated Ginseng Capsule Serum and the Renewing Cream Rich. Sulwhasoo is also offering Jihambo, its in-house wrapping service inspired by the Korean tradition of bojagi wrapping cloths.
Through the 27th, customers who buy the 60th anniversary set or other featured products on major official e-commerce channels receive the Jihambo wrapping service and gift benefits. Buyers of the 60th anniversary set receive a Concentrated Ginseng massager, while purchasers of other featured gift sets receive a cosmetics bag.
