Magic beoseon, a take on Korean traditional socks, gained popularity among Japanese tourists since last winter as they are cheap, warm, come in a variety of designs, and make a good gift. (image: Korea Tourism Organization)
SEOUL, Feb. 28 (Korea Bizwire) — The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) announced on Wednesday that when it surveyed Japanese members of its Facebook page, ‘magic’ beoseon’ was chosen as the number one must-have item from traditional markets, accounting for 10.3 percent of all responses.
Next in line was socks at 9.3 percent, followed by taste and flavor enhancers at 6.1 percent. Stick coffee, stainless lunch boxes, and pants with rubber band waists were also on the list.
Magic beoseon, a take on Korean traditional socks, gained popularity among Japanese tourists since last winter as they are cheap, warm, come in a variety of designs, and make a good gift.
While the socks are only popular among elders in Korea, they are popular among Japanese tourists regardless of age.
Socks were also cited as a popular seller for their low price and varied design.
Furthermore, stainless steel lunch boxes are becoming popular because when compared to plastic products, stainless lunch boxes come in various sizes, and smell and color do not permeate the material after use.
The KTO plans to create shopping content in traditional markets based on the survey to support lagging sales.
Meanwhile, www.visitkorea.or.kr is an online promotional site run by the organization that operates in eight languages and has 1.9 million foreign members.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
