K-dramas embrace pop-ups amid shifting content landscape
In a rare shift for Korea's television industry, drama series are increasingly adopting pop-up stores ― a marketing strategy more often undertaken by retail, K-pop or gaming brands.
As streaming services extend the content viewing cycle, companies are turning to new marketing tactics to sustain fan enthusiasm over a longer period and carry that excitement into future projects.
From June 29 to July 10, Netflix's "Squid Game" rolled out a pop-up experience at Shinsegae Department Stores in Gangnam in southern Seoul and in Busan to celebrate the series' third season. The activation featured mannequins of the show's iconic dolls Young-hee and Chul-soo, alongside a curated lineup of limited-edition merchandise developed in collaboration with nearly 20 brands across fashion and sports.
Following its Gangnam and Busan runs, the pop-up continues with stops at Shinsegae Department Stores in Daegu and Seoul's Yeongdeungpo-gu from Friday through July 31.
TvN's "Our Unwritten Seoul," a hit series with peak nationwide ratings of 9.4 percent, hosted its own pop-up at IPark Mall in Yongsan, central Seoul.
From July 4–11 the space sold collectible goods such as key rings, postcards and acrylic stands featuring scenes from the series. The installation also included original props from the show, including backpacks and school uniforms worn by the lead characters.
"The pop-up served as an example of how a drama's intellectual property can continue to expand in various ways, even after the series has ended. We plan to keep exploring ways to extend the life of drama IPs (intellectual properties), moving forward," an official from Studio Dragon told The Korea Herald on Thursday.
JTBC's "Heavenly Ever After," which finished in May, also drew buzz for its inventive pop-up concept at The Hyundai Seoul in Yeouido from May 16 to 22. The experiential setup transported fans into the show's universe with immersive photo zones replicating key sets. Visitors could walk through the protagonist's home or step into a heaven immigration checkpoint.
Disney+ original "Nine Puzzle" also got in on the action, staging a detective-themed pop-up in Seoul's eastern Seongsu-dong from May 16 to 27. The interactive experience placed fans in the role of rookie investigators at Hangang Police Station, allowing them to solve mysteries alongside the show's characters through mission-based gameplay.
Industry experts say this surge in TV drama pop-ups reflects a larger shift in how content is consumed in the streaming age.
"Drama pop-ups hadn't been common. This is because dramas typically deliver short-term results and then fade away ― so launching a pop-up afterward wasn't seen as particularly meaningful,' said Lee Sung-min, an associate professor in the department of media arts and sciences at Korea National Open University.
'But now, drama series are available on streaming services and many viewers continue to watch series well after they have finished airing. As such, the companies have realized that it's crucial to foster lasting fan engagement," he said.
"By leveraging new tactics such as pop-up stores, merchandise sales and social media virality, companies are focusing on building lasting fan engagement and maintaining momentum for sequels and upcoming projects.'
According to Lee, a major turning point for this new type of TV drama marketing came with tvN's "Lovely Runner."
''Domestic companies seem to have recognized ― particularly after witnessing the success of merchandise sales and fan-focused promotions for 'Lovely Runner' ―that marketing strategies like pop-ups and merchandise sales can be powerful tools to enhance the value of an IP," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Korea Herald
K-pop meets local lore: Hidden gems in 'KPop Demon Hunters'
Behind the animation's K-pop flair, the film is a rich blend of Korean culture and traditions woven into the story and characters "Listen 'cause I'm preachin' to the choir. Can I get the mic a little higher? Gimme your desire, I can be the star you can rely on." Yes, what is easier than stealing the souls of K-pop fans already under a spell? Many of you might have fallen head over heels for the Saja Boys — the Korean grim reapers who also top charts — like Abby, whose muscles pop shirt buttons, and Jinu with his charming smile. The group is a five-member fictional boy group created for the Netflix animated film "KPop Demon Hunters," and they're not just taking the fictional world by storm — they're stealing the hearts of real-life K-pop fans, too. But behind the animation's glittering visuals and K-pop flair, the film packs something even more powerful: a rich blend of Korean culture, age-old traditions and shamanistic elements woven into the story and characters. It is not just eye candy; it's a cultural deep dive wrapped in pop perfection. The term "Saja" translates to "lion," so people might assume the boy band chose the name to symbolize strength and power, like the lion itself. But there's a twist: The boys aren't just charming idols. "Jeoseung-saja" also refers to a grim reaper-like mythical figure who guides souls to the afterlife. In this case, the boys are demons sent to the human world to steal their fans' souls. The blending of spiritual tradition with pop spectacle is also reflected in the trio girl group Huntrix, comprising Rumi, Mira and Zoey, who are demon hunters sworn to protect their fans from supernatural threats. Huntrix's performances help to seal the "Honmoon," a mystical gate or barrier that separates the human world from the demon realm. The word is a combination of "hon," meaning soul, and "moon," meaning door, which is a traditional Korean shamanic "gut" ritual reinterpreted in a flashy way. In real life, such Korean rituals are performed by shamans, or "mudang," to drive away evil spirits, bring good fortune, resolve misfortune and foster harmony between the human and spirit worlds. The rituals combine music, dance, costume and spoken incantations. So when Huntrix begins using its music to seal off the demon realm, its ruler Gwi-ma strikes back by sending the Saja Boys to weaken the Honmoon by dominating music charts. Although produced overseas, these hidden cultural elements reflect director Maggie Kang's desire for the film to be "as Korean as possible," as she said in a Q&A video released to the press on June 26 — a vision that comes to life in every frame. Also, each Huntrix member carries a weapon with deep cultural roots, as each blade is inspired by traditional Korean weaponry and shamanic instruments. Rumi's sword, known as the "Quadruple Tiger's Evil Slayer," or the Four Tiger Sword, is a ritual blade dating back to the Joseon era (1392–1910). In Korean cosmology, each of the four cardinal directions is guarded by a mythical tiger, believed to protect the world from harm. Similarly, Rumi uses the sword to shield human souls from the demons, embodying the same protective spirit. Initially mistaken for a Chinese guandao — a type of Chinese pole arm — Mira's sword, known as "gokdo," is also inspired by the Cheolyeomchu, a curved pole arm from Goguryeo Kingdom (37 BC-668 AD), which gives the weapon a distinctly Korean identity. The spirit knife wielded by Zoey is the "shinkal," which is used during the gut ritual to fight evil spirits. Her blade is adorned with a "norigae," a traditional Korean pendant accessory worn by women, rich in both aesthetic beauty and emotional symbolism, reflecting the grace and spirit of women from the Joseon era. But the animation is not only about mythical themes and traditional Korean elements. The film also does an excellent job of portraying modern-day Korea. For example, in a scene where the members of Huntrix eat gukbap — a bowl of rice and boiling soup — tissues are placed under their spoons, reflecting Korea's dining etiquette. As the film and its spotlight on Korean culture continue to captivate audiences worldwide, pop culture critic Jung Duk-hyun noted that Korean culture is now seen as "hip" on the global stage, adding that it is one of the key reasons it resonates so strongly with international viewers. "The success of 'KPop Demon Hunters' serves as clear evidence that stories rooted in Korean traditions, music and lifestyle can capture global attention and serve as the core of a compelling film. It highlights the strong potential of Korean culture to inspire and shape not only movies but a wide range of creative content in the future," Jung told The Korea Herald on July 15. Yoo Seung-chul, a professor of media convergence at Ewha Womans University, echoed the sentiment, saying that the incorporation of Korean elements adds depth and richness to the film's details. "The film takes elements audiences already recognize from K-pop, along with familiar storytelling techniques, and creatively blends them," he explained.
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Korea Herald
'Don't forget me': Astro's Cha Eunwoo set for enlistment
Cha Eunwoo of Astro recently bid fans farewell ahead of his enlistment in the military, asking them not to forget him. He begins his mandatory military service on Monday as a member of the Army marching band. He thanked fans through From, an online communication platform, telling them he has been doing well. 'I will miss you a lot, won't I?' wrote Cha, admitting that it still feels surreal. The singer and actor asked fans not to forget him and mentioned that he has an album, a movie and a TV show that will be released during his absence. Though the Netflix show, "The Wonder Fools," and the movie, "The First Ride," are set to premiere soon, the release date of the album is yet to be announced. Cha Eunwoo held a solo concert in June and fan meetups in July, both in Korea and Japan.
Korea Herald
4 days ago
- Korea Herald
Why 'My Daughter is a Zombie' could be summer's pleasant surprise
A feel-good zombie comedy juggles horror, heart and humor with dexterity Korean cinema showed up fashionably late to the zombie party. But when it finally arrived with 2016's "Train to Busan," it more than proved it could hold its own. Now we're dealing with an even quirkier subspecies: The so-called zom-com, a hybrid genre as awkwardly constructed as its shambling subjects. From cult favorites like "Shaun of the Dead" to "Warm Bodies" and "Zombieland," this mash-up of horror and comedy has staked out real cinematic territory — one that turns blood-soaked chaos into unexpected belly laughs. Korea's earliest foray into this space might be 2019's "Zombie for Sale," which spun the undead into a get-rich-quick scheme gone predictably sideways. Enter "My Daughter is a Zombie," based on the popular webtoon of the same name. It takes the zom-com formula one step further by throwing earnest family melodrama into an already volatile mix. The story centers on Jung-hwan (Jo Jung-seok), a zookeeper and devoted single father raising his teenage daughter Soo-ah (Choi Yu-ri) through the familiar turbulence of adolescence. She's got the classic puberty playbook on display — rolling her eyes at her dad, brushing off his well-meaning questions, and delivering dry comebacks with teenaged flair. Their occasional moments of connection come through a shared love of dance. Jung-hwan, once an aspiring performer, now bonds with his daughter by helping her rehearse K-pop routines for her school talent show — including, rather quaintly, BoA's 2002 hit 'Number One.' But the everyday bickering comes to a halt when the zombie apocalypse strikes. The two watch in disbelief as their neighbors begin devouring each other in the street — mistaking the carnage at first for passionate lovemaking. The reality hits when a zombified neighbor crashes through their apartment window, and emergency broadcasts confirm their worst fears. Jung-hwan grabs Soo-ah and makes a run for his mother's home in the countryside, but the escape takes a devastating turn when Soo-ah is bitten during their frantic getaway. Despite its sunny title and cartoonish promotional materials, "My Daughter is a Zombie" doesn't shy away from legitimate horror tropes. Soo-ah's transformation sequence is surprisingly intense — bulging veins, clouded pupils, basically the full undead makeover. After a chaotic slapstick scuffle in the car that ends with Jung-hwan knocking his daughter unconscious, he straps her in and speeds toward his hometown, dodging military helicopters and roadblocks along the way. Once they arrive at grandmother Bam-soon's (Lee Jung-eun) house, Jung-hwan tries to keep the truth under wraps. But when Bam-soon discovers her granddaughter's condition, she's more irritated than alarmed. Wielding a wooden back scratcher like a weapon and armed with a sharp tongue, she instantly asserts dominance. The zombified Soo-ah, cowed by her grandmother's presence, behaves like a scolded puppy. Still, the question lingers: What now? After agonizing over whether to put his daughter down, Jung-hwan starts noticing glimmers of humanity in her behavior. Most strikingly, Soo-ah responds to familiar K-pop songs — reflexively moving through bits of choreography. Encouraged by a dubious YouTube clip suggesting that memory triggers can reverse zombie symptoms, Jung-hwan launches a desperate, increasingly bonkers rehabilitation mission: Retraining his daughter like one of the animals at his zoo. He's soon joined by childhood friend Dong-bae (Yoon Kyung-ho), a well-meaning but somewhat hapless pharmacist who offers comic relief and steady support. Things grow more complicated when Jung-hwan crosses paths with his childhood crush Yeon-hwa (Cho Yeo-jeong), now a middle school teacher. Yeon-hwa, still traumatized by her own zombie-related past, is now a militant anti-undead crusader determined to stamp out any infected survivors. As suspicions grow and the authorities close in, Jung-hwan is forced to go to greater lengths to shield Soo-ah — while confronting long-buried family rifts along the way. At its core, "My Daughter is a Zombie" traffics primarily in anodyne feel-good vibes, following a predictable emotional arc that trades logic for crowd-pleasing sentiment. It isn't chasing profound insights into humanity — and to its credit, it doesn't pretend otherwise. Its shortcomings are fairly easy to spot: The film occasionally loses momentum in meandering slice-of-life interludes that feel more like a webcomic vignette than a feature film. And for a film billing itself as a comedy, the humor can be hit-or-miss — the slapstick is plentiful, but not always sharp. Still, it would be a mistake to dismiss the film outright. Some movies manage to transform their clunkiness into charm, and "My Daughter is a Zombie" comes close to hitting that sweet spot. The key lies in its bold tonal shifts — gripping suspense undercut by slapstick gags, gut-punch drama interrupted by biting one-liners — which sound ridiculous on paper but click in practice. In an early escape sequence, Jung-hwan and Soo-ah avoid detection by mimicking zombie movements through dance — a stunt so over-the-top it becomes unexpectedly delightful. Elsewhere, a tense debate over whether to mercy-kill Soo-ah is derailed by a cultural in-joke about MBTI personality types. These sharp left turns, rather than feeling disjointed, become part of the film's distinct comic rhythm. And when the film drops the comedy to lean into sincerity — especially in its audacious finale — it does so with just enough conviction to land the emotional payoff. Much of this tonal balancing act works because of the cast. Jo Jung-seok, a reliable box office draw ("Pilot" drew 4.7 million viewers; "Exit" pulled in 9.4 million), is in his element here. As the awkward but fiercely loving father, he moves fluidly between goofball gags and gut-punch emotion, grounding the film even in its wildest moments. Lee Jung-eun is equally convincing as Bam-soon, delivering a mix of crusty wit and tough love that's both hilarious and oddly touching — much of it reportedly improvised. And 16-year-old Choi Yu-ri gives a breakthrough performance, managing to project both feral intensity and lingering innocence from beneath layers of prosthetic makeup. Her zombie Soo-ah is part monster, part misbehaving pet — and somehow, still heartbreakingly human. Will "My Daughter is a Zombie" defy expectations and become one of the summer's surprise hits? While it's far from a genre reinvention, it's hard not to root for it. At a time when high-budget blockbusters are tanking one after another, a modest film with genuine laughs and heartfelt moments might be exactly what audiences need. "My Daughter is a Zombie" hits theaters July 30.
