People Enjoying Home Parties Instead of Year-End Gatherings Due to Strengthened Social Distancing

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-seon] The food and distribution industries are targeting the home party market as the year-end approaches. With the resurgence of COVID-19 and the reimplementation of social distancing, more people are planning home parties to create a festive atmosphere at home.

According to the industry on the 18th, a survey conducted by the employment platform Job Korea targeting 1,507 office workers found that 40.5% of respondents chose home parties as their year-end gathering location this year. In particular, the popularity of home parties is expected to continue for the time being because they offer a cozy and comfortable atmosphere with family and friends at a reasonable price, instead of going out which requires a lot of time and cost.

The food distribution industry is releasing various planned products aimed at home party enthusiasts that allow them to enjoy parties with simple cooking at home.

Premium American beef brand EXCEL BEEF launched four types of ‘Year-end Party Sets’ that combine popular steaks and Sopalso Gopchang (beef small intestines) in one set, designed to pair well with various alcoholic beverages for the year-end season.

The steak that pairs well with wine is made from carefully selected EXCEL BEEF primal cuts used by the three major steak houses in New York, USA. It is packaged in 250g portions so that premium beef steaks can be easily enjoyed at home. Sopalso Gopchang, a soju side dish, gained popularity to the extent that the term ‘Gopketting’ was coined after Hong Sun-young, sister of singer Hong Jin-young, was shown eating it on SBS’s ‘My Ugly Duckling’ and it sold out within one minute after restocking on online malls. Using Sopalso’s unique technology, it is pre-grilled to be tender, mild, and savory.

GS Fresh Mall partnered with the Grand Intercontinental Seoul Parnas to launch the home party pack delivery service ‘Holiday To-Go.’ If pre-orders are placed by 5 p.m. on the 22nd, delivery will be made on a designated day between the 24th and 26th within the Seoul area. It is expected to be popular among MZ generation housewives who want to enjoy a luxurious meal with their families on special occasions.

The menu includes two options: ‘Turkey Dish (290,000 KRW)’ and ‘Barbecue Pork Ribs (260,000 KRW).’ The turkey dish is prepared using a patented natural carbonated water brining technique from Chojung-ri, where the turkey is aged for 24 hours and then coated with premium herb butter and cooked at low temperature in an oven. The barbecue pork ribs are smoked for 12 hours using beechwood chips, undergoing a special cooking process to deliver rich flavor and tender texture.

CJ CheilJedang’s premium meal kit brand COOKIT is introducing four new menus suitable for home parties and wine, offering a 20% discount promotion. Purchases can be made through pre-orders on the COOKIT and CJ The Market websites or mobile apps. The home party menus include spicy boiling lobster and shrimp, sous-vide chicken breast steak, and cream risotto, all designed to enhance the year-end atmosphere.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.