AI go robot, gold bars fly off convenience store shelves ahead of Chuseok

Unusual gift items that convenience stores rolled out for this year's Chuseok holiday are quietly gaining traction through word of mouth. As app-based convenience store shopping becomes routine, even high-priced novelty products are finding buyers.

BGF Retail said Tuesday that "Sense Robot Go," an AI go-playing robot offered as a Chuseok gift at CU, has been drawing strong interest. The product — consisting of a 280-millimeter-tall robot and a 400-by-500-millimeter go board — is priced at 1.24 million won ($896). The robot can be set to difficulty levels ranging from 18-kyu beginner to professional 9-dan and automatically saves game records. CU is offering a total of six robot products as Chuseok gifts, including a bipedal humanoid robot priced at 31 million won and a smart robotic dog at 3.99 million won.

Robots have also appeared on GS25 shelves. The standout is "Ailico," a keyring-shaped conversational robot priced at 119,000 won, which responds to touch and voice and changes its eye expressions depending on the situation. A GS25 official said 11 units have been sold so far, adding that customers with young children appear to be the main buyers given the robot's emotion-exchange features. A humanoid-style "Social Robot Riku," priced at 5.5 million won and unveiled ahead of Chuseok, has also been attracting attention.

Gold has become a reliable holiday seller. Convenience store chains have consistently offered gold products every Lunar New Year and Chuseok season for investment-minded shoppers. Seven-Eleven this year sold a 10-don (37.5-gram) gold bar worth 8.5 million won, along with 14 gold and silver products certified by the Korea Gold Exchange. Total gold product sales through Monday reached 900 don.

CU is also selling a 5-don (18.75-gram) gold bar priced at 4.89 million won, and more than 120 units of a 1-don (3.75-gram) gold bar have been sold. At E-mart 24, a horse-themed 3.75-gram gold bar was the top-selling gold product, followed by a 3-don (11.25-gram) gold bar priced at 2.5 million won. GS25 has sold around 400 gold and silver products to date.

However, demand for gold products ahead of this Chuseok is slightly lower than during last Lunar New Year, reportedly due to a stabilization in prices after gold surged past 1 million won per don earlier this year. According to the Korea Gold Exchange, the buying price for pure gold stood at 849,000 won per don as of Monday. "Demand for gold investment has slowed somewhat compared to last Lunar New Year, partly due to fluctuations in gold prices," an industry official said.