Discover how South Korea is transforming the global success of Squid Game into innovative tourism collaborations, offering immersive experiences and boosting international travel to the country.
The global Netflix sensation Squid Game is back with its second season, and South Korean companies are going all out with marketing campaigns to cash in on the show’s popularity. There are so many collaborations centered around Squid Game Season 2 all across the country. And with the series premiering today, the interest in these collaborative products and services is all time high!
The Squid Game promotion campaigns are going all out to capitalize on the legendary costumes, props, and storytelling from the TV series. And they are certainly going to be boosting South Korea tourism, especially after the recent political unrest.
South Korea Convenience Stores x Squid Game
Shinsegae Department Store is taking things to the next level by turning their flagship stores in Gangnam, Seoul, and Centum City, Busan, into immersive experiences inspired by the series’ iconic sets. The Gangnam and Busan Centum City branches of the company have made a giant doll from the popular series on their storefronts. Shinsegae has also come up with a merchandise store with more than 300 unique products. These are available at stores across the country.
Shinsegae is the only department store company in the whole country that’s teamed up with the Netflix series! And these pop ups will be around until January 12, so if you are in Korea before that, do check out the stores.
GS Retail, the big convenience store chain in Korea, opened a super cool pop-up shop at their store in Seoul’s Seongsu-dong. It’s called GS25 X Squid Game, and it’s open until January 12th. They’ve got different sections for fans of the show, with fun activities like mission-playing games and a photo booth. They’re selling all sorts of cool merchandise inspired by the series too. If you manage to complete a mission, you’ll get some awesome online coupons for GS Retail’s smartphone app. These coupons give you discounts at GS Supermarkets or GS25 convenience stores.
The store just dropped 30 new food items inspired by ‘Squid Game’! From gimbap (a yummy Korean rice dish) to instant noodles, pastries, and drinks, you’re in for a treat. GS25 is dropping 10 new “Squid Game” goodies! You can get your hands on a prepaid card for public transportation and a cute key ring.
South Korean Brands x Squid Game
In November, South Korean food company OTOKI teamed up with the show to launch two new flavors of its popular “Ppushu Ppushu” snack line. Guess what? These tasty treats were a hit, selling a whopping 1.6 million units in just 50 days after hitting the shelves!
HITEJINRO, one of the biggest beverage company in South Korea, just dropped a super cool Squid Game-inspired version of their famous “Chamisul” soju.
Kia, the automaker, just launched a global campaign for its New Sportage, and it’s all about Squid Game Season 2!
CJ Group is going all out with a super cool strategy. They’re using the Squid Game IP for international campaigns! CJ Olive Young, a big name in health and beauty, is bringing out special editions of their private-label cosmetics brands, BRINGGREEN and WAKEMAKE. These exclusive products will be available on Olive Young’s official online store in late December. They’ll also be hitting their domestic stores and nine global markets soon.
Olive Young’s BRINGGREEN campaign is a super cool active partnership. It’s inspired by the “Red Light, Green Light” game from Squid Game. In this campaign, Young-hee, the doll character from the series, gets a makeover. Now, instead of just sitting around, Young-hee is a skincare superhero, ready to protect your skin from blemishes with precision!
CJ CheilJedang, the global food brand behind bibigo, is also bringing the Squid Game to life with a new line of food products. Get ready for some delicious Korean favorites like dumplings, tteokbokki, seaweed snacks, bung O pang (fish-shaped waffles with a sweet red bean filling), rice balls, gimbap, and fried squid. This tasty treat will be available in 14 countries, including the US, Japan, and several European nations.
A Costly Affair
While brands, Korean and global, are rushing to capitalize on the popularity of Squid Game, it is a costly venture. The licensing fees for the Squid Game IP depend on the type of collaboration. Simple branding of products with Squid Game imagery costs around $700,000 (under 1 billion won). Active partnerships, which involve co-developed products or integrated campaigns, cost between $1.38 million and $2.07 million (2 billion to 3 billion won). Additionally, companies also reportedly pay a royalty to Netflix which ranges anywhere from 4% to 9% of the revenue generated from the series-branded products.
The global phenomenon of Squid Game continues to showcase ability of South Korea to merge entertainment with tourism, creating innovative opportunities that captivate audiences worldwide. By leveraging strategic collaborations and cultural appeal, South Korea is not only solidifying its position as a global cultural powerhouse but also driving economic growth and revitalizing its tourism industry. These efforts demonstrate the nation’s commitment to blending creativity with collaboration, ensuring visitors leave with unforgettable experiences rooted in the essence of Korean culture.
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