'We made a show about parenting — and it took off': How Lotte Home Shopping won over millennial moms

"We've crossed 21 million won (about $13,700)! Keep pushing the set bundle."

Shortly after 10 a.m. Monday, the "L.Live" studio at Lotte Home Shopping's headquarters in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, was filled with the voice of show host Kim Min-jin as she sold a baby play mat. She jumped on the mat to demonstrate noise reduction between floors and dropped a dumbbell on it to test its safety — all in real time.

Throughout the one-hour broadcast, Kim kept one eye on the live comment feed, responding to viewers as she went. "Kids grow fast — if you're going to buy one, I'd recommend the larger size," she said, tailoring her advice to shoppers' concerns. Even during breaks, the conversation continued with producer Kwon Ji-hye, who monitored real-time sales and order figures to fine-tune the product lineup and broadcast direction.

The broadcast was an episode of "Momsim Toktok," Lotte Home Shopping's live commerce show dedicated to parenting. Launched in December last year, the show has recorded sales five to six times higher than regular baby and children's product live broadcasts in just six months, cementing its place as one of the network's flagship programs.

Momsim Toktok grew out of the personal experiences of Kwon and Kim, both working mothers. Kim returned to work just two months after giving birth, while Kwon is raising an elementary school-age child. The two wanted to create something more than a shopping show — a program that would genuinely help parents. The name itself reflects that intent: "momsim toktok" means "tapping on a mother's heart."

"Most live commerce shows focus on price and deals, but we wanted Momsim Toktok to be a show that helps solve parenting worries together," Kwon said. "We're building content around sharing and empathizing with real parenting experiences." The show also runs a community forum within the Lotte Home Shopping app where parents can exchange advice on child-rearing.

The pair go to unusual lengths to keep the show authentic. Kim personally buys and uses the diapers, formula and home cameras she features on air. Footage she shoots at home while caring for her child feeds into both the live broadcasts and short-form content. "Time spent parenting at home is time spent preparing for the show," she said. "I try to connect with viewers through the trial and error I've actually lived through raising my child."

Kwon backs the show with equally hands-on support. She worked with a vendor to build a dedicated performance dashboard for Momsim Toktok, tracking views and sales for each broadcast herself to analyze which products and content formats generate the strongest response.

Their efforts have paid off. Orders last month were up 40 percent from the show's launch, with average monthly order growth running at 20 percent and new viewer traffic rising roughly 40 percent each month. Starting last month, the show expanded its broadcast schedule to more than double its original slot count. Brands have taken notice too, with an increasing number now reaching out proactively to request a spot on the show.

Momsim Toktok plans to broaden its product range beyond baby goods into travel, performances and beauty. "The lower the birth rate, the more investment tends to concentrate on each individual child," Kwon said. "Content commerce that delivers parenting solutions and information is only going to become more important." "As children grow, the range of products they need naturally expands," Kim said. "We'll keep finding content that lets us share experiences from the same vantage point as our customers.".