Lotte World Aquarium sees visitor surge after Pingu collaboration

Lotte World Aquarium is drawing more summer visitors and reaching a broader age demographic through a collaboration with the global character IP Pingu.

The aquarium is running a summer festival tied to the collaboration, titled "Noot Noot! Captain Pingu and the Great Voyage." Visitor numbers since the partnership launched are up about 13 percent compared with the same period last year.

Pingu, a clay stop-motion animated character that originated in Switzerland in 1986, has drawn strong interest from visitors in their 20s and 30s through its nostalgic, newtro appeal. That age group's share of total visitors to Lotte World Aquarium has grown by about 6 percentage points compared with last year.

The success stems from combining marine life exhibitions with character-driven content. The aquarium built its spatial concept around the premise of Pingu — a character modeled on Antarctic penguins — encountering sea creatures, and decorated areas throughout the venue as polar-themed zones inspired by the animation's settings. The cool, wintry atmosphere has also been a draw.

Merchandise sales have also been strong. The "Pingu & Pinga Marine Keyring," exclusively previewed at the aquarium, sold more than 2,000 units within a month of its launch, while the "Pingu & Pinga Keycap Keyring" has required restocking. Collaboration menu items — including cookies-and-cream soft serve ice cream, frappes and dalgona drinks — are also on offer.

Lotte World Aquarium has expanded visitor experiences through Pingu photo zones, character sculptures, activity zones and large-scale Pingu photo events. "Noot Noot! Captain Pingu and the Great Voyage" runs through Aug. 31.