Instead of Returning Home, They Enjoyed 'Malling'... Shopping Mall Sales Rise 33% Amid Changing Chuseok Traditions

[Financial News] The once-common Chuseok tradition of returning to one's hometown is changing, with more people choosing travel or family-oriented leisure activities instead. This year, more people spent the holiday at mixed-use shopping malls, joining the growing ranks of 'mall-goers.' As demand increased for character pop-ups, food, exhibitions and hands-on activities all in one place—not just shopping—major operators saw simultaneous increases in visitors and sales. 'Mall-goers' refers to a consumer group that combines shopping, entertainment and dining as cultural activities through malling, or spending leisure time at shopping malls, and takes care of them all at once.
According to industry sources on the 5th, Hyundai I'PARK Mall's average daily sales during this year's Chuseok holiday, Sept. 24-27, rose 33% from last year's holiday period, Oct. 3-9. Fashion sales increased 33%, food and beverage sales rose 20%, and the IP-related category surged 74%. Compared with weekends alone, total sales grew 26% and the IP category rose 55%.
Experiential content drove customer traffic during the holiday. Hyundai I'PARK Mall operated a Riot Games' Riftbound pop-up and Chuseok food pop-ups at Dopamine Station. The mall said about 500 people lined up every morning during the operating period for the Pompompurin Waang Mandu pop-up, which made its debut in Korea.
Lotte Outlets and its malls also saw a 10% increase in purchasing customers during the Chuseok holiday compared with the previous year. Sales in the kids category rose 15%, while food and beverage sales increased by more than 10% after the company expanded game and educational content, character experiences and food trucks aimed at families. Lotte World Mall attracted about 750,000 visitors over the four-day holiday, up 10,000 from the 740,000 recorded during the same Chuseok holiday last year.
One Grove, which has established itself as a leading mixed-use complex in southwestern Seoul, showed a similar trend. Although this year's holiday period was three days shorter than last year's, average daily visitors increased 27% and average daily sales rose 25%. More customers visited exhibition, living and experiential spaces alongside food and beverage and shopping facilities, including My Art Museum and the living-focused select shop Movement Lab.
Survey results on changing perceptions of the holiday also support this trend. In Hankook Research's survey on plans for Chuseok gatherings and schedules in 2026, 45% of respondents viewed Chuseok as a time for 'harmony with family and relatives,' while 43% described it as 'a time for rest and recharging.'
Industry officials say the holiday has expanded from a period spent simply returning to one's hometown into leisure time for enjoying shopping, dining and cultural activities with family. As a result, experiential content that encourages visitors to stay longer has become a key competitive advantage for malls during the holiday shopping season.
An official from Lotte Outlets and its malls said, "This year's Chuseok holiday, rather than simply offering shopping benefits, we focused on strengthening experiential and culinary content that families could enjoy together." The official added, "Naturally linking visitors' time spent at the malls with their spending led to sales growth."
[email protected] Kim Hyun-ji Reporter