Miniature figure of Pensive Bodhisattva(Bangasayusang), 3 Drunken Scholars Color-Changing Mini Glass Set, National Museum of Korea phone case collection by Casetify .... At some point, merchandise by the National Museum became the "hip thing," causing stock-outs and open runs. The reason why MU:DS has become a representative of hip tradition is that it has been able to capture the taste preferences of Generation Z. MU:DS is not only a modern design of thousand-year-old artifacts, but also practical and of high quality, suitable for everyday use. It also captures the value of Korean traditional culture and heritage. MU:DS's active collaboration with talented artists, workshops, and brands is also a major factor in its success.
‘Kim Hong-do Drinking Glass' Sold Out in 2 Minutes
As we pour cold water into a glass with a picture of Seonbi (scholar during Joseon Dynasty), his face turns red. The scene of a pouty-faced Seonbi dozing off or staggering around while being supported by a tramp makes us laugh, as it is familiar to the scene of drinking parties these days. The most popular product of the National Museum's 'MU:DS' is the '3 Drunken Scholars Color-Changing Mini Glass Set'. The product is designed with the motif of a drunken Seonbi in infamous Korean painter Kim Hong-do's "Pyeongangamsa hyangyeondo," which depicts a feast along the Daedong River in Pyongyang. Zion pigment, which responds to temperature, is applied to the Seonbi's face and changes color when as one pours a cold drink below 18 degrees.
The 20s and 30s is going crazy for this fun drinking glass. It was launched in December 2023 and sold over 1100 sets within a month. Since then, they have repeatedly sold out as soon as they are stocked. They hold an online pre-sale on the first Monday of every month, and even though they increased unit sales from 2000 to 5000 in June, they were sold out in two minutes. Some people even went on an "offline expedition" to the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan, Seoul to get their hands on the cups, and MU:DS's Instagram account posted “a hot item scavenger hunt.” They shared information about the days of the week that the museum receives small quantities of items and the fact that items in the permanent exhibition venue are sold more slowly compared to the main souvenir shop. However, given the high demand, each customer was allowed to buy only two sets maximum.
One of the keywords of the Generation Z trend is 'hip+tradition'. This is a neologism that refers to the phenomenon of enjoying traditional culture with a modern twist, such as the emergence of traditional markets as hot places and enjoying traditional sweets such as Yakgwa(Korean style cookie) and Gaesung Juak(fried rice cake) for dessert.
MU:DS is the representative for hip tradition. Designed, produced, and sold by the Cultural Foundation of National Museum of Korea (President Jeong Yong-seok, hereinafter referred to as the Foundation), MU:DS has gained the full support of Generation Z with its successive hits of products with Korean cultural heritage motifs, including the 3 Drunken Scholars Color-Changing Mini Glass Set, Goryeo Celadon cell phone case, mother-of-pearl table wireless charger, miniature of Pensive Bodhisattva, miniature of Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje (Geumdongdaehyangno), and Long Long Time Flower. According to the Cultural Foundation of National Museum of Korea's analysis of MU:DS's sales in 2023, 13% of MU:DS buyers are in their 20s, 49% in their 30s, 16% in their 40s, and 12% in their 50s, with 62% of them in their 20s and 30s. On social media, there are lots of contents verifying the purchase of MU:DS products, such as photos of Pensive Bodhisattva on bookshelves and videos of people pouring alcohol into the drinking glasses. This is a phenomenon that has never happened with any other museum or art gallery products in Korea.
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This content was translated into English by AI (using DeepL) from an article that was originally written in Korean in the DBR (Donga Business Review). Therefore, please understand that there may be some awkward expressions.
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