Welcome 2024 'Yong'... Food Industry Gears Up for the New Year with 'Cheongryong Marketing'

Paris Baguette Launches 'Himnaeseyong Cake'
Starbucks Introduces 'Blue Dragon Classic Milk Tea'
Lotte Chilsung Presents Wine and More to Celebrate the Year of the Blue Dragon

In celebration of the Year of the Gapjin (甲辰) 2024, the food industry is consecutively unveiling new products featuring the Blue Dragon. This approach aims to capture a New Year’s sales boost through the traditional sexagenary cycle (Yukship Gapja, 六十甲子) marketing, while also conveying hope through the 'Guardian Deity of the East,' the Blue Dragon, during these challenging times of economic downturn.

Paris Baguette '2024 Cheer Up Cake'

According to industry sources on the 30th, Paris Baguette launched the ‘2024 Himaenseyong Cake’ to mark the Year of the Blue Dragon. The product adds a cute touch by depicting the dragon’s wings, horns, eyes, and tail in sweet chocolate. Inside the cake is a soft and moist chocolate cake sheet filled with chocolate cream embedded with chocolate chunks.

A Paris Baguette representative explained, "To cheer on the vigorous start of the new year, we are presenting a three-dimensional cake featuring a ‘dragon’ character symbolizing hope, achievement, and luck," adding, "We included a witty New Year’s cheer message on the bottom layer of the cake to enhance the meaning of good fortune."

Starbucks 'Blue Dragon Classic Milk Tea'

Starbucks introduced the ‘Blue Dragon Classic Milk Tea,’ ‘Blue Dragon Hazelnut Latte,’ ‘Blue Dragon Earl Grey Chiffon Cake,’ and ‘Blue Dragon Blueberry Souffl? Cake.’ Notably, the Blue Dragon Classic Milk Tea combines the classic milk tea, which sold one million cups within two weeks of its launch, with Earl Grey foam. A Starbucks representative said, "We expressed the Year of the Blue Dragon using blue foam made from gardenia, a traditional ingredient historically used to color jeon (pancakes), muk (jelly), and tteok (rice cakes)."

Baesangmyun Brewery released a limited edition of Neurin Maeul Makgeolli called the ‘Blue Dragon Edition.’ This edition’s blue dragon motif evokes the blue-and-white porcelain of the Joseon Dynasty. It will be sold sequentially offline at ‘Homsul.com,’ a Korean alcohol curation commerce platform, as well as in large supermarkets, convenience stores, and restaurants. A Baesangmyun Brewery representative said, "Starting the Gapjin year, which symbolizes the Blue Dragon, we incorporated the vigorous energy of the Blue Dragon into this limited edition design."

Lotte Chilsung Killicanun The Dragon Shiraz

Lotte Chilsung Beverage launched the commemorative wine for the Year of the Blue Dragon, ‘Killikanun The Dragon Shiraz.’ This product was co-planned with Killikanun, one of Australia’s leading wineries. The label features a harmonious design combining the blue color representing the heavenly stem of Gapjin year and the dragon, the earthly branch animal. The dragon on the label is inspired by the Blue Dragon talisman of Geunjeongjeon Hall at Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Additionally, Seven Eleven exclusively introduced two types of premium distilled soju called ‘Yong Soju.’ Yong Soju is a product inspired by the Hongcheon River in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province.

An industry insider explained, "Although new products based on the sexagenary cycle are sold for a relatively short period and incur high costs in planning, distribution, and production, they attract consumer attention and increase sales volume, which is why they are attempted every year."

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