'Back 2 months after giving birth' — Lotte home shopping show wins over moms

"We've crossed 21 million won (about $13,600)! Keep pushing the set bundle."

The call rang out across the "L.Live" studio at Lotte Home Shopping's headquarters in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, just after 10 a.m. Monday. Show host Kim Min-jin was selling a baby play mat — jumping on it herself to test noise insulation between floors, then dropping a dumbbell to check its safety, all in real time.

Throughout the hour-long broadcast, Kim kept one eye on the live comment feed, fielding viewer questions as they came in. "Kids grow fast — if you're going to buy one, I'd recommend the larger size," she told viewers, tailoring her advice to their concerns. Even during breaks, she stayed in close contact with PD Kwon Ji-hye, reviewing live sales figures and order counts to fine-tune the product lineup and pacing.

The broadcast is "Momsim Toktok," Lotte Home Shopping's live commerce show dedicated to parenting. Launched in December last year, the program has in six months posted sales five to six times higher than regular children's product live broadcasts, establishing itself as one of Lotte Home Shopping's flagship programs.

Momsim Toktok grew out of the personal experiences of Kwon and Kim, both working mothers. Kim returned to the show just two months after giving birth, while Kwon is raising an elementary school-age child. The two wanted to build something more than a sales channel — a program that genuinely helps parents. The show's name carries that intent: "momsim" means a mother's heart, and "toktok" means to knock or tap, signaling a desire to connect with it.

"Most live commerce shows focus on price and perks, 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 program also runs a community section within the Lotte Home Shopping app where parents can exchange parenting concerns.

The effort to keep the show authentic goes beyond the studio. 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 raising my child 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."

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

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

Momsim Toktok plans to broaden its product range beyond baby goods into travel, performances and beauty. "In an era of low birth rates, the investment concentrated on each individual child is actually growing," Kwon said. "Content commerce that delivers parenting solutions and information will only become more important going forward."