"Sudden Surge of Customers" Sales Soar 800%... What Happened at Busan Convenience Stores

Spread of 'Related Consumption' with Jaws Bar and Whale Food
Crowds Drive Booming Sales of Portable Chargers and Ready-to-Eat Foods

A large shark, estimated to be around 3 meters long, appeared in the artificial canal at Busan Dong-gu North Port Waterfront Park, creating a nationwide sensation and resulting in an unexpected "shark boom" for convenience stores. As photos and videos of the shark rapidly spread through social networking services (SNS), sales of shark-themed products such as Jaws Bar, Goraebab, and Pinkfong Baby Shark merchandise surged. With visitors flocking to capture the shark on camera, on-site purchases of items like portable batteries, toys, and instant meals also increased accordingly.

A large shark approximately 3 meters in length has appeared in the artificial waterway of Bukhang Waterfront Park in Dong-gu, Busan, attracting nationwide attention and unexpectedly creating a 'shark boom' for convenience stores.

According to BGF Retail, the operator of convenience store CU, following the first shark sighting at Busan North Port Waterfront Park on September 18, product sales at CU locations in Dong-gu, Busan from September 19 to 21 increased significantly compared to the same days in the previous week. Sales of the Jaws Bar ice cream rose by 28.4%, the Goraebab snack by 21.6%, and Pinkfong Baby Shark-related products by 33.3%.

This phenomenon is interpreted as a case of so-called "related consumption," where the shark sighting is connected to shark characters and images in products through SNS. The excitement at the scene quickly spread online, leading to greater interest and purchases of items evocative of sharks.

CU Triangle Kimbap. BGF Retail

Portable Battery Sales Surge 815.5% as Crowds Flock to Film

The influx of people coming to see the shark in person at the waterfront park also boosted sales at nearby convenience stores. Between September 19 and 20, total sales at CU stores near the waterfront park increased by 48.6% compared to the same period the previous week.

Yonhap News Agency

In particular, as more visitors used their phones to film the shark, portable battery sales skyrocketed by 815.5%. Toy sales increased by 422.7%. As more visitors stayed at the site for extended periods, instant meal sales jumped by 166.2%, bottled water by 55.0%, ice by 46.3%, and triangle kimbap by 32.3%.

It appears that visitors drawn to see the shark purchased not only snacks and beverages, but also filming accessories and other on-site necessities, leading overall convenience store consumption in the area to expand markedly.

Beyond Busan to the Nation...Stock Prices React as Well

On the 20th, Busan Port North Harbor Waterfront Park in Dong-gu, Busan, was filled with crowds coming to see sharks. Photo by Yonhap News

The shark boom was not limited to Busan. During the same period, sales at CU locations nationwide also saw Jaws Bar sales rise by 12.5%, Goraebab by 10.5%, and Pinkfong Baby Shark-related products by 13.9%.

This is interpreted as a result of news about the shark sighting in Busan spreading nationwide via SNS, sparking interest in related products even among consumers who did not visit the actual location.

Interest also extended to The Pinkfong Company, which owns the intellectual property (IP) rights to Pinkfong Baby Shark. As news spread, the company's stock price experienced short-term fluctuations.

Unseasonal "Shark Boom" at North Port Waterfront Park

On the 20th, citizens were capturing with cameras a shark that appeared in the waterway of the Busan Port North Port Waterfront Park in Dong-gu, Busan. Photo by Yonhap News.

The atmosphere at North Port and its surroundings changed dramatically from usual. According to the city of Busan, the number of visitors to North Port Waterfront Park over the weekend was 4 to 5 times higher than normal. Some nearby cafes reportedly had such large crowds that customers had to wait tens of minutes for drinks after ordering.

An estimated 30,000 people visited North Port Waterfront Park in the three days following the initial shark sighting on September 18. Busan city sent out safety advisory text messages after the shark appeared, but citizen visits continued into the weekend by those eager to see the shark firsthand.

The famous shark was first discovered on September 18 in the artificial coastal waterway within Busan North Port Waterfront Park. The shark measures about 3.5 meters in length, and while removal efforts have continued, it remains within the canal as of press time.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.