K-Culture Boost Sends National Museum Gifts Sales Past ₩40 Billion
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
The National Museum Cultural Foundation reported record sales of its museum merchandise brand ‘Muits’ last year, reaching 41.3 billion won—about double 2024’s revenue and the highest since the foundation’s 2004 founding. The top seller was the ‘magpie tiger badge’ (까치 호랑이 배지), inspired by a Netflix animation character, selling roughly 90,000 units (≈₩1.3 billion). Second was the ‘Three Tipsy Scholars color-changing cup set’ (취객선비 3인방 변색잔 세트; based on a painting by late Joseon painter Kim Hong-do) which stains red when filled and went viral on social media. Other popular items included a keyboard with dancheong (단청; traditional multicolored architectural patterns) motifs, a Silla gold crown–style brooch, and a robing-pattern beach towel modeled on the royal gonryongpo (袞龍袍). The sales surge was driven mainly by family visitors in their 30s and 40s, with people in their 30s making up 35.4% of shoppers.
