"Boost Your Financial Luck" Bank 'Open Run' from Seniors to MZ Generation [1mm Geumyung Talk]

"Buying Woori Bank 2025 Desktop Calendars."

Woori Financial Group’s 2025 New Year calendar featuring model IU is experiencing a shortage. Despite 'open runs,' obtaining the calendar is as difficult as catching a star in the sky, and it is reportedly being sold for a fee on secondhand trading platforms. In fact, on these platforms, the calendars are traded between 2,000 KRW and 10,000 KRW. Woori Financial Group signed an advertising contract with model IU in 2022 and has been producing IU calendars for three consecutive years since 2023.

A representative from a Woori Bank branch in Seoul said, "We started distributing them earlier this month, and the IU desktop calendars allocated to the branch have all been sold out," adding, "Currently, the only way to get an IU calendar is to participate in an event on the Woori Bank app, 'Woori WON Banking,' where 10,000 calendars are given away for free."

Typically, at the end of the year, customers flock to bank branches to get New Year calendars. From elderly customers who believe in the superstition that "hanging a bank calendar at home brings wealth" to young fans of the banks’ models, the demand is high. However, as part of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) management, banks have significantly reduced paper usage, leading to a sharp decrease in calendar production. Against this backdrop, bank calendars, which were once freely available at year-end, have become highly sought-after items.

A representative from a commercial bank said, "While efforts to reduce paper use for environmental reasons are ongoing, cost-saving is also a major factor," and added, "There are internal discussions about whether calendars need to be produced at all, but recently, complaints about why calendars are not given out have increased. Since calendars, once produced, remain displayed throughout the year, they have a strong promotional effect, putting us in a difficult position."

Given this situation, banks are prioritizing distribution to customers who hold accounts with them or are distributing limited quantities through event promotions on their applications (apps).

Among the five major commercial banks, only Woori Bank and NH Nonghyup Bank have produced calendars featuring models. NH Nonghyup Bank created a 2025 desktop calendar featuring actress Go Yoon-jung. Customers who participate in the event on NH All One Bank, Nonghyup Financial’s platform app, will be entered into a draw where 2,025 winners will receive the Go Yoon-jung desktop calendar and 'Olli, Woni' character stickers.

Additionally, KB Kookmin Bank produced calendars featuring parodies of famous paintings using their own character, Star Friends, while Shinhan Bank created calendars with illustrations and Shinhan Friends characters. Hana Bank produces calendars mainly focused on artworks every year, and this year introduced a desktop calendar in collaboration with artist Jang Maria.

A representative from a commercial bank said, "It is difficult to attract new customers, but once they join, they tend to maintain long-term transactions, so banks often hire popular models," adding, "The contract details vary widely, such as models working only for specific products or having comprehensive contracts covering the entire group brand, so it is not easy for all banks to produce calendars featuring the models they hire."

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