Department stores are leveraging global character intellectual property (IP) to attract customers during the summer vacation and holiday season. Their strategy combines character merchandise sales with photo zones, merchandise creation, and interactive missions to extend customer dwell time.
According to industry sources on July 19, Shinsegae Department Store is running a pop-up store titled 'Pingu Creamery' on the B1 level of its Gangnam location until July 28.
The pop-up is themed around a summer ice cream shop, featuring merchandise displayed in refrigerator-style showcases, allowing customers to browse goods as if selecting ice cream. A photo zone decorated with the Pingu character is also available.
Visitors can create their own phone cases on-site. Customers can choose their desired Pingu images and backgrounds, with the case completed in about three minutes.
This pop-up features 15 limited-edition products exclusive to Shinsegae, including seven types of blind keyrings, stress balls, milk glasses, foldable bags, picnic mats, baseball caps, and pajamas.
Pingu, a character born from clay animation, has enjoyed global popularity for its humorous expressions and actions. Shinsegae aims to enhance the pop-up destination image of its Gangnam store through character content that appeals to multiple generations.
Lotte Department Store is also hosting a pop-up titled 'Tom and Jerry: Hanok Adventure' at the Lotte World Mall's first-floor atrium until July 26.
This pop-up features a chase between Tom and Jerry set against the backdrop of traditional Korean hanok architecture from the Joseon Dynasty. It includes elements like tiled roofs, a maru (wooden floor), a kitchen, and a jar storage area, allowing both local customers and foreign visitors to experience Korean culture.
The merchandise includes over 220 items, featuring newly developed products and limited-edition goods. The 'K-Tom and Jerry plush toys' are available in various sizes, dressed in traditional Korean attire.
A hands-on experience zone allows visitors to create their own keycap keyrings by selecting their preferred keycaps and bodies. Other offerings include plush toys of Tom and Jerry in hanbok, random keyrings shaped like rice cakes, five limited-edition gacha figures exclusive to the mall, and officially licensed lifestyle products imported from Japan.
To encourage visitor participation, the 'Jerry's Cheese Stamp Rally' is also being held. Customers can take photos using traditional props at the photo zone, post them on social media, and find hidden Jerry figures among the jars to earn merchandise. Customers who complete all three missions will receive a limited-edition Tom and Jerry bandana on a first-come, first-served basis.
Both department stores have combined long-established global characters with experiential content and exclusive products. While Shinsegae emphasizes nostalgia and summer vibes through Pingu for the 2030 generation, Lotte targets both domestic and international customers by integrating Tom and Jerry with hanok culture.
A Shinsegae representative stated, "We will continue to present differentiated content featuring globally popular characters and brands to provide new experiences for our customers."
Yoon Hyung-jin, head of fashion at Lotte Department Store, remarked, "We have brought the globally popular IP of Tom and Jerry to life in a unique hanok setting, offering a distinctive enjoyment for both domestic and international visitors to Jamsil."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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