Korean retailers hail Year of the Black Dragon
The Chinese zodiac is always the favourite sales-promotion theme for South Korean retailers and hotels at the beginning of each year.
This is the Year of the Black Dragon, which makes the most auspicious animal of the zodiac and symbol of the emperor sound even more powerful and mystifying.
In the Chinese zodiac, combinations of 10 heavenly stems and 12 earthly branches, or animal signs, create a sexagenary cycle that makes the Year of the Black Dragon fall once every 60 years. The ninth heavenly stem, pronounced “im” in Korean and “ren” in Mandarin, symbolises water and the colour black.
Last year was the year of the White Tiger and 2007 the year of the Golden Pig. Both were played up as the lucky years for childbirth, recording peaks in weddings and baby booms. Baby clothing and appliance makers saw their sales rise by about 20 per cent in those two years.
The Year of the Black Dragon is another major marketing opportunity.
Baby corners in department stores are selling innerwear and blankets with black-dragon prints.
Lotte Department Store is displaying a large dragon with 2012 traditional lucky bags hanging on it and plans to give a famous artist’s painting of a dragon worth 10 million won (Bt271,700) to one of its customers who leave their New Year’s wishes on its website.
I’ Park Department Store offers additional discounts for customers born in the Year of the Dragon, while Galleria Department Store displays dragon-shaped crystal ornaments.
Discount stores are selling makgeolli (Korean rice wine). LG International Corp unveiled early last month a “Dragon Wine” made in collaboration with an artist, and the nearly 10,000 bottles have been sold already.
Kooksoondang Brewery Co began selling a sparkling makgeolli with a black dragon drawn on its label. Coach, a leather-goods brand imported by Shinsegae International, and MCM was selling limited-edition tote bags with dragons on them.
Baskin-Robbins is selling “Flying Dragon” ice-cream cakes, and Lotte Mart underwear with dragon prints.
SK Planet’s online shopping mall 11st began selling 1-kilogram silver bars engraved with dragons.
Red Cap Tour offers up to 12-per-cent discounts for people born in the years of dragon purchasing its travel packages to Europe. Novotel Ambassador Gangnam’s buffet restaurant .
