'PubaO' Emoticon Re-enters Top 100 Two Years After Release

Everland announced on the 28th that the 'Poobawo is One Year Old' panda emoticon used in KakaoTalk chat rooms has re-entered the 'Top 100' popularity rankings and is gaining traction again, two years after its release.

Released in April 2021, the 'Poobawo is One Year Old' emoticon features various famous images of Poobawo’s tiny early days, such as clinging to the zookeeper’s leg or toddling around, accompanied by humorous captions for different situations. There are a total of 24 types, and users can use them without any time limit after purchase.

The sales of the 'Poobawo is One Year Old' emoticon gradually increased from early May, then surged sharply after zookeeper Kang Cheol-won, famous as 'Poobawo’s Grandfather,' appeared on a broadcasting entertainment program. Sales have increased about 50 times compared to the beginning of this year. As a result, the emoticon re-entered Kakao’s emoticon popularity rankings, rising as high as 16th place at one point.

From May to June this year, sales of panda-related goods at Everland’s merchandise stores also increased by more than 60% compared to the same period last year. In particular, about 80 types of panda products such as dolls, cushions, and magnets sold well overall, leading the growth in merchandise sales. The soft dolls that preserve Poobawo’s appearance at 50 and 100 days old are selling out quickly, prompting Everland to bring in new stock earlier than planned.

An Everland official said, "With the popularity of Poobawo and the panda family, the number of visitors to Panda World has roughly doubled compared to early May. We also see that customers continue their panda fandom in daily life through emoticons and merchandise."

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