Korean traditional goods sales hit record high amid 'Demon Hunters' boom

▲ This image, provided by the Korea Heritage Agency, shows traditional cultural products on display in its shop at Deoksu Palace in Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

   SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Sales of traditional Korean cultural products hit an all-time high last year, boosted by the global popularity of the Netflix animated film "KPop Demon Hunters," government data showed Friday.

   The Korea Heritage Agency said combined sales of its "K-Heritage" souvenir brand across its online and offline stores reached an estimated 16.1 billion won (US$11.13 million) in 2025, the highest since the agency was founded in 1980.

   The figure marks a 35.5 percent jump from the previous year's 11.9 billion won, with sales surpassing the 10 billion-won mark for the third consecutive year.

▲ This image, provided by the Korea Heritage Agency, shows traditional cultural products featuring a red horse, the 2026 animal symbol in the Chinese zodiac. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

   The agency develops traditional cultural goods featuring heritage-inspired designs and sells them at major tourist spots, such as Gyeongbok Palace, Deoksu Palace, the National Palace Museum of Korea and Incheon International Airport.

   Officials attributed the surge partly to the worldwide boom of Korean culture sparked by "KPop Demon Hunters." Popular items included a tiger porcelain doll modeled after the film's character Duffy and cups shaped after the traditional Korean hat of "gat" worn by the Saja Boys, the in-film idol boy group.   

   "The 'KPop Demon Hunters' popularity created strong synergy with our ongoing efforts to plan and distribute a range of products promoting traditional Korean culture," an agency official said, calling the film's success "a powerful catalyst" for the record sales.

▲ This image, provided by the Korea Heritage Agency, shows traditional cultural products featuring a red horse, the 2026 animal symbol in the Chinese zodiac. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

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