'Who would buy this?' — sold out: W7.9m trips, W10m wines fly off shelves ahead of Chuseok

Demand for premium and unconventional Chuseok gifts surged this year, spanning everything from high-end overseas travel packages to ultra-luxury liquor. The trend reflects a broader shift away from traditional holiday fare, with more shoppers seeking distinctive alternatives to the usual food and produce gift sets.

According to Shinsegae Department Store on the 26th, reservations for travel packages offered through its premium travel platform Via Shinsegae ahead of this Chuseok jumped roughly tenfold compared with the same holiday period last year. A Hong Kong gourmet travel package accompanied by Chef Jeong Ji-seon sold out despite a starting price of 7.9 million won ($5,810).

A nine-day, seven-night European New Year's concert package starting at 39 million won is also expected to sell out, while a ten-day, eight-night Serengeti safari in Africa starting at 45.6 million won drew steady inquiries. "We received many questions from families asking whether they could bring children or whether private tours were available for larger groups," a Shinsegae Department Store spokesperson said.

Gift sets featuring intangible cultural heritage items, offered for the first time in collaboration with the Cultural Heritage Administration, also drew considerable customer interest. Notable examples included a white porcelain moon jar by master potter Kim Gyeong-sik, priced at 3.5 million won and 1.4 million won respectively, and a blue-and-white porcelain jar with peony motif priced at 4.5 million won.

Hyundai Department Store reported that luxury tableware and travel products launched for the first time this year generated sales more than five times their reservation-period targets. Items included a two-piece Baccarat crystal tumbler set at 380,000 won and a six-piece Christofle cutlery set at 2 million won. A Walkerhill Hotels & Resorts VIP membership at 1.7 million won and a Fairmont Ambassador Hotel Privilege Membership Premium at 1.1 million won also sold steadily, as did travel packages priced above 10 million won.

Among Chuseok gift set sales recorded from Aug. 14 to Sept. 8, products priced at 500,000 won or more accounted for 37.8 percent of total sales, while items at 1 million won or above made up 13.2 percent.

At Lotte Department Store, single-bottle offerings of premium wines — Chateau Le Pin 2015 and Chateau Petrus 2010, each priced in the 10 million won range — sold out immediately after going on sale. The priciest item Lotte put forward for this Chuseok was the Ardbeg The Abyss whisky at 40 million won. A limited vintage collection of Chateau Margaux spanning the 2011 through 2015 vintages was also offered at 13 million won per set. Both products drew consistent customer inquiries.

Demand for high-end liquor extended to convenience stores as well. A limited run of seven sets of the Five Grands Châteaux Wine Set 2016, priced at 9.5 million won per set, sold out at GS25 within five hours of going on sale on Aug. 17.

Seven-Eleven also sold out of several premium wines, including the Masseto 2002 at 1.68 million won, Chateau Lafite Rothschild 2023 at 1.18 million won, and Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2023 at 990,000 won. The chain also offered 11 luxury goods from brands including Gucci and Prada ahead of this Chuseok. Among them, the Prada Re-Nylon bucket bag at 2.49 million won, a Ferragamo Gancini reversible belt at 550,000 won, and a Prada Saffiano leather metal logo card holder at 750,000 won all sold out.

Retailers attribute the rise in premium Chuseok gift sales to a shift in holiday culture. As demand for ancestral rite preparations has declined, more families are opting for holiday travel or seeking out more meaningful gifts. "As the gift-giving trend polarizes, demand is growing not only for value-for-money gift sets but also for premium sets and high-end liquor that carry a story and a sense of rarity," an industry official said.