From 360-million-won wine to Ulleung cattle and caviar: Korea's big three department stores launch Chuseok gift sales

Korea's major department stores are unveiling a range of distinctive Chuseok gifts this holiday season. Lotte Department Store and Hyundai Department Store launch their main sales Friday, with Shinsegae Department Store beginning sales at select branches on the same day.

Lotte Department Store has expanded its Chuseok gift set lineup by 20 percent from last year, making it the largest selection in the retailer's history. Among the highlights is the "Chikso Ulleung Myeongpum," a debut offering featuring beef from Ulleung Island's chikso cattle — a breed of which only about 200 head are raised annually — with only 1++ grade animals selected. The store has also prepared limited quantities of "Eunpung Junsi Sobok Gotgam," a dried persimmon said to have been presented to Joseon-era kings, and "Almas Gold Caviar," considered one of the world's rarest caviars.

Other offerings include a "traditional jang gulbi" — a deboned yellow corvina seasoned with gochujang and doenjang — and "Yeonggwang steamed barley gulbi," which can be heated in a microwave. The store is also selling freshness-focused products such as sesame and perilla oil sets pressed the morning of delivery.

Shinsegae Department Store's flagship offerings center on its premium food brand "5-Star," along with "Shinsegae Hanwoo" and "Select Farm" lines. Its top-tier "Myeongpum Hanwoo The Signature" — sourced from female Hanwoo cattle ranked in the top 3 percent of the 1++ grade — is priced at 3.2 million won ($2,340). A premium gulbi corvina set is available at 3.5 million won.

The House of Shinsegae Dessert Salon is presenting hansik desserts, including a traditional Korean confectionery set in a lacquerware box and a white porcelain flower-shaped songpyeon rice cake set. The "Local is Shinsegae" section will carry traditional crafts such as white porcelain moon jars and mother-of-pearl lacquerware. The premium travel platform "Via Shinsegae" is offering gift packages covering a European New Year's concert, a Hong Kong culinary tour, an Egypt historical journey and a Serengeti safari.

Hyundai Department Store has increased its Hanwoo gift set inventory by 10 percent over last year to 120,000 sets. The store is expanding its "Sodam Set," which divides 1++ grade Hanwoo and specialty cuts into 200-gram portions. Its "Hyundai Myeongpum Hanwoo Number Nine," composed of the highest marbling grade, is priced at 3 million won.

Hyundai has also prepared a range of collaboration products — a boneless grilled fish set developed with fishing YouTuber "Jinseokgi Sidae," a sea cucumber and whole abalone porridge set using a recipe by Chef Jang Ho-jun, and a Chinese baijiu called "Mongjilam" recommended by Chef Jeong Ji-seon. The store has additionally stocked ultra-premium spirits with limited availability, including a "Petrus 18-bottle vertical collection" at 360 million won, a "Leroy two-bottle set with Riedel glasses" at 120 million won, and a "Balvenie 50-year" expression at 85 million won.

The way shoppers select and send gifts is also evolving. Lotte Department Store is introducing an "AI thank-you card" service that uses artificial intelligence to generate personalized holiday greetings. Hyundai Department Store is offering product recommendations tailored to budget and recipient through its AI shopping assistant "Heidi."