E-mart24 reimagines classic literature first editions as food products

E-mart24 announced Thursday it will launch a line of food products reimagining the first editions of classic literary works, targeting the growing "text hip" cultural trend.

Starting Friday, E-mart24 will roll out seven products developed in partnership with The Story, a publisher specializing in first-edition reprints, drawing on the first editions of classic Korean and international poetry and fiction. A first edition is the original version of a work as first published, prized for its cover design, period sensibility, and literary and collectible value.

E-mart24 selected 12 works popular among readers in their 20s and 30s based on publisher sales data — including "The Little Prince," "Sky, Wind, Stars and Poetry," "The Silence of Love" and "Demian." Product packaging features first-edition cover designs, and each item comes with a bookmark bearing the original cover art and a memorable line from the work.

The bookmarks come in 15 varieties, randomly inserted one per product, including three hidden-card editions featuring "The Little Prince," "Sky, Wind, Stars and Poetry" and "Odysseia." E-mart24 also plans to introduce the works and their authors through social media.

The classic literature-themed line launches Friday with four bakery items, followed by dosirak on Nov. 25 and chocolate balls and shrimp chips on Nov. 27. The four bakery items are the Little Prince Milk Fresh Cream Booksterra, the Tolstoy Sweet Potato Cream Booksterra, the Silence of Love Butter Cinnamon Roll and the Yun Dong-ju Red Bean Bread.

A mobile app stamp event is also planned, with prizes drawn by lottery including a world literature first-edition set, a Little Prince perpetual diary and app coupons. Throughout November, customers who pay with Hyundai Card, Toss Pay Money & Account or Payco Points will receive a 30 percent discount on the new products.

"We wanted to give customers a collecting experience through products that capture the literary value and rarity of first editions," said Lee Eun-bora, head of the trend research team at E-mart24. "We will continue to broaden the scope of experience by incorporating the value of books, art and culture."