"Yeoksam Home Drinkers Prefer Somaek, Gasan Night Workers Choose Samgim" [Convenience Store Map Drawn with Big Data]

Seoul Night Goblins' Convenience Store Outing Formula

High Sales of Ready Meals in Industrial Complexes and University Areas
Gasan Tops Sales in Rice Balls and Noodles
Yeoksam 1-dong Leads in Lunchboxes and Various Alcohol Sales
Solo Drinking Culture Amid COVID Also Plays a Role

[Asia Economy Reporters Yuri Kim and Chunhan Lim] Across the country, there are 50,000 convenience stores, and in Seoul, you can find at least one or two convenience stores within a 'Sulse-gwon'?an area where you can walk around in slippers. Due to this characteristic, sales data by category in convenience stores serve as a barometer reflecting the commercial traits of the respective areas. In Seoul convenience stores, sales of ready-to-eat meals such as triangular kimbap and ramen were highest in Gasan-dong, Geumcheon-gu, while alcoholic beverages like soju, beer, Makgeolli, and whiskey topped sales in Yeoksam 1-dong, Gangnam-gu.

◇"Working late in industrial complexes... Gasan-dong leads in rice balls and ramen"

On the 24th, an analysis comparing sales data from January to February this year by region (at the eup, myeon, dong level) from convenience store chain CU showed that Gasan-dong, Geumcheon-gu ranked highest in consumption of rice balls (1st), noodles (1st), and lunch boxes (2nd) among ready-to-eat meals. This area is home to the Seoul Digital Industrial Complex, where many IT companies are located. More than 70% of the resident companies are in information and communication, knowledge, and advanced manufacturing industries, making it a place with many office workers in their 20s and 30s among industrial complexes. The rice balls, which ranked first in this area, are a quick and convenient meal often chosen during late-night work. Noodle sales were also the highest, frequently purchased together with rice balls. Rice ball sales in Gasan-dong peaked between 7 PM and 10 PM, when overtime work typically begins.

Gasan-dong also has many single-person households, partly due to people living independently near their workplaces. According to resident registration population statistics from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, as of last month, Gasan-dong had a total resident population of 23,471, which is lower than Doksan 1st and 3rd dongs and Siheung 1st dong in Geumcheon-gu, but the number of households was 16,703, ranking second in the district. This indicates a high number of 1-2 person households. The average household size was 1.41 persons, the lowest in the district. A convenience store official said, "Since COVID-19, the frequency of eating alone has increased, and people in their 20s and 30s are increasingly choosing convenience store lunch boxes, rice balls, and ramen. As the quality and variety of these products have improved, convenience stores are often thought of as a quick and easy meal option."

University students also rely on convenience store ready meals as staple food. Sinchon-dong, Seodaemun-gu ranked third in Seoul for sales of lunch boxes, rice balls, and ramen. Daehak-dong, Gwanak-gu ranked fifth in lunch box sales. These two areas are home to Yonsei University and Seoul National University, respectively, and have commercial districts centered around young people, including single-person households. In Gonghang-dong, where many consumers are on the move, sandwiches that are easy to carry and require no heating were popular.

◇"Offices and single-person households... Yeoksam 1-dong leads in alcohol sales"

Yeoksam 1-dong is a large office district along Gangnam-daero and Teheran-ro, with subway stations including Gangnam, Yeoksam, Seolleung, and Sinnonhyeon nearby, resulting in a high flow of commuters. It also has many single-person households living in officetels and villas. The resident population of Yeoksam 1-dong is 34,362, with an average household size of 1.47 persons, the smallest in the district. These complex characteristics are reflected in convenience store sales. Yeoksam 1-dong ranked first in lunch box sales and first in alcohol sales including soju, beer, traditional liquor, and western liquor, while ranking second in rice balls and ramen sales. A convenience store official explained, "Since early this year, rising prices have led to a significant increase in dining-out costs in Gangnam-gu, so office workers and single-person households are increasingly choosing convenience store lunch boxes as an affordable and filling meal option."

The intensified 'home drinking' culture after COVID-19 also contributed to the increase in alcohol sales in this area. With company dinners disappearing, small groups of office workers buy alcohol and snacks at convenience stores and visit colleagues living nearby. As home drinking trends became more distinct, the variety of popular alcoholic beverages also expanded. Convenience store western liquors sold in small, mid-priced packages are more accessible in price, making them popular. Although Yeoksam 1-dong ranked first in sales of beer, soju, and Makgeolli, the 2nd to 5th places were occupied by southwestern districts such as Gangseo-gu, Yeongdeungpo-gu, and Geumcheon-gu, which are densely populated residential areas.

Areas with the highest sales of western liquor and wine tend to be regions with higher income levels and affluent neighborhoods. Samsung 2-dong ranked first in wine sales, which has become a mainstream trend. Samsung 2-dong is a residential area with many officetels and large apartment complexes inhabited by relatively high-income young professionals in their 20s and 30s. The culture of enjoying wine pairing instead of soju or beer has rapidly taken root, leading to higher wine sales in this area.

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