Bakeries capitalize on educational zeal By Kim Jae-won
Two female employees of Anycar Direct, an online insurance arm of Samsung Fire & Marine, were examining chocolates, rice cakes and candies at an outlet of bakery chain Paris Baguette in Hapjeong district, western Seoul, Wednesday.
They were looking for presents for children of the company’s employees who will take the national college entrance exam, the College Scholastic Ability Test, better known as “Suneung” here, today. The exam is a standardized test for university entrance and takes place on the second Thursday of November every year.
They picked up a box filled with a few rice cakes and chocolates, which sell for 15,000 won (about $14), but did not seem to be satisfied with the price.
“It’s too expensive,” said one of them, who declined to be identified. “They just raise prices by putting some decorations on the products.”
Bakeries and candy makers rush to raise their revenue by exploiting educational zeal as Koreans keep traditions of giving rice cakes, candies and chocolates to senior high school students during this time of the year.
For instance, Tous les Jours, the nation’s second-largest bakery chain run by CJ Group, recently released a score of selections labeled “Pass! Make Your Own Magic.” A wide range of sets _ combining some chocolates, candies and rice cakes _ is sold between 10,000 won and 25,000.
Paris Baguette, a bakery franchise of SPC Group, also sells 66 kinds of special gift boxes with prices ranging from 2,000 won to 24,000 won. The company released boxes containing cookies, candies and chocolates with decorations of pens, books and schoolbags.
Bakeries admit that this is a good time for them to compensate for plunging sales hit by the economic downturn. “Those special selections for the college entrance exam are quite popular. People buy a few sets at once to give them to bosses and colleagues,” said a salesclerk at a Tour les Jours outlet in western Seoul.
Paris Baguette said that sales of the special editions account for about 10 percent of their November revenue.
Bakeries are not the only industry which benefit from the so-called “Suneung boom.” Movie theaters are packed with increased customers, mostly from the senior secondary students, determined to cool off after the exam session is over. Coupled with the Christmas season, December is often the busiest period for movie theaters, according to data from the Korea Film Council.
Bakeries and retailers enjoy an additional sales boon, through brisk marketing in anticipation for the Nov. 11 “Pepero Day.” Pepero, a trademark product of Lotte Confectionary, has become a nationwide sensation. Usually decorated with roses, it is the gift of choice to present lovers. Lotte said that sales of Pepero in November account for about 60 percent of the firm’s annual revenue, a significant short term boost.
Q1) How do you guys think about that lovers buy expensive gifts for celebrating korea markrting day like '빼빼로 day', 수능 day, Rose day, 짜장 day each other.
Is it right romance?
Q2) If you have met your lover for 100 days, for celebrating 100 days, what do you want to buy a present for your girl(or boy friend)?
