
Bellygom, developed by Lotte Home Shopping in 2018, is a popular character with 1.7 million social media followers. (Image provided by Lotte Homeshopping)
SEOUL, Jan. 16 (Korea Bizwire) — Lotte Home Shopping has officially launched its mobile game “Bellygom Matchland” in South Korea, accelerating its efforts to diversify its character intellectual property (IP) business.
Announced on January 16, 2025, this move marks the company’s expansion into the gaming sector, becoming the first retailer in the industry to release a mobile game based on its own character IP.
Bellygom, developed by Lotte Home Shopping in 2018, is a popular character with 1.7 million social media followers. The game, first introduced in November 2024, is a puzzle game centered around rebuilding the abandoned amusement park “Bellyland,” reflecting Bellygom’s whimsical universe.
Players progress by solving match-three puzzles, where blocks of the same color disappear when three or more are aligned.
Originally created by MZ generation employees under the concept of a bear that brings joy to everyday life, Bellygom gained mainstream popularity following a large-scale public exhibition at Lotte World Tower in Jamsil in 2022.
Since then, it has expanded its offline presence through pop-up stores and merchandise sales, solidifying its status as a leading domestic character.
Bellygom began global expansion in 2023, growing into an international IP with a dedicated social media fanbase and surpassing 20 billion KRW in cumulative sales.
In July 2024, Lotte Home Shopping piloted Bellygom Matchland in the UK and Canada, garnering over 20,000 downloads, with 70% of users being women in their 20s to 40s.
Lotte Home Shopping plans to enhance the game’s features and introduce it to the North American market in the first half of 2025. The company also aims to diversify its revenue streams by expanding Bellygom-themed merchandise and further promoting the mobile game.
To celebrate the domestic launch, Lotte Home Shopping is hosting a promotional event through January 24, 2025. Customers who download the game and clear level 9 will be entered into a draw, with 5,000 winners receiving 3,000 L-Points.
Jung Ji-hyun, head of Lotte Home Shopping’s Content Development Lab, stated, “We are proud to officially launch ‘Bellygom Matchland,’ the first mobile game created by a retailer using its own character IP. We plan to introduce exciting new features to expand our user base and strengthen Bellygom’s presence in the gaming market.”

The 15-meter giant Bellygom balloon installed at World Park in Lotte World Tower. (Image courtesy of Lotte Property & Development)
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)