Ahead of Children's Day and the Golden Week holiday next month, the retail industry is launching powerful marketing campaigns. Collaborations with popular character IPs are becoming increasingly active to target the children's demographic, while various discount events are simultaneously underway to attract foreign tourists. These moves are interpreted as strategic choices aimed at opening consumers' wallets in May, the month of family.
First, the area around Lotte World Tower in Seoul's Jamshedpur is planning a large-scale event in cooperation with Walt Disney Company Korea. A special event named "Star Wars Day 2026 in Jamshedpur" will be held from the 1st to the 17th, and it is expected to be utilized for promotional purposes for the Mandalorian and Grogu movies scheduled for release on the 27th. Programs to commemorate Star Wars Day on May 4th, celebrated by fans worldwide, and Children's Day are also included. Large-scale character parades will be held at the Tower area, the outdoor plaza, and the Han River Park on the 4th and 5th, and interactive game programs such as spaceship control simulation and reconnaissance missions will be operated.
Large supermarkets are also preparing special shopping experiences for children and families. E-Mart will sell over 200 related products at special prices until May 5th, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the Pokémon IP. The toy category, including figures and board games, will offer discounts of up to 30%, and uniform-price products will be launched to meet the demand for low-cost toys. Sanrio character blocks and mini car sets are sold at affordable prices of 2,000 won and 3,000 won, respectively.
The Hyundai Department Store Group is also showcasing various content for children. The Mia Point is holding a special exhibition to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Taekwon V, featuring over 1,000 large and regular-sized figures, as well as a special exhibition of landscape paintings by director Kim Cheong-gi. The Kintex Point is opening a pop-up store for ChitaBu, a global IP for children, operating experiential play and DIY programs. The Space Origin Premium Outlet is attracting customers with a participatory exhibition featuring a sculpture garden.
In addition, department stores and duty-free shops are focusing on attracting foreign tourists. The first week of May, when Japan's Golden Week and China's Labor Day holiday coincide, will be targeted intensively. Union Pay payments by Chinese tourists at Myeongdong and Jamshedpur stores will receive an immediate 10% discount event. In the beauty category, benefits are strengthened by providing gift certificates based on the amount for purchases of top 10 brands with high preference, such as Sulwhasoo. Shinsegae Duty Free is operating a campaign where Taiwanese tourists earn 10% points when paying with Line Pay until the 24th.
Actual data confirms the importance of May. Domestic department stores recorded strong sales in the first quarter due to the foreign tourism boom and strong sales of luxury goods, and the foreign sales of major companies such as Lotte Department Store, Shinsegae Department Store, and The Hyundai Seoul surged by 80% to 121% compared to the same period last year. An industry official stated that the sustained increase in foreign visitors to Korea is driving overall sales, and that domestic consumers' wallets can also be opened in May, indicating plans to focus on marketing efforts.