"You're Korean, So You Can Drink It Anytime"... Citizen Who Gave Up 'Ddongba' at Airport Gets a 'Special Gift'

Story of a Citizen Giving Up "Ttungba" for a Foreign Tourist at Incheon Airport
Binggrae Presents Special Certificate and Banana Flavored Milk-Shaped Souvenirs

A citizen who gave up a banana-flavored milk drink for a foreign tourist at Incheon International Airport received a special gift from its manufacturer, Binggrae.

A citizen identified as A, who gave up a banana-flavored milk drink for foreign tourists at Incheon International Airport, received a special gift from its manufacturer, Binggrae. Screenshot from A's social media account.

According to the food industry on November 13, Binggrae recently tracked down Citizen A, who gave a foreign tourist a banana-flavored milk drink at an Incheon Airport convenience store, and presented them with a specially made “Honorary Ambassador” certificate and branded souvenirs.

The certificate from Binggrae appointed A as an “Honorary Ambassador” and read: “You displayed a strong spirit of sacrifice by willingly giving in to a foreigner’s bold request. This is an exemplary case that has elevated the international standing of Banana Flavored Milk and introduced the world to the generosity of the Korean people. In recognition of your contribution, we hereby present you with this certificate and our heartfelt thanks.”

The story began with a comment A left on the social media platform Threads on October 24. After seeing a post featuring a photo of Banana Flavored Milk displayed at a convenience store in Incheon Airport, A shared an experience of having given the drink to a foreign tourist in the past.

A citizen identified only as A, who gave a banana-flavored milk to a foreign tourist at Incheon International Airport, received a special gift from its maker, Binggrae. Screenshot from Threads.

A had been at a convenience store in Incheon Airport, planning to buy what is commonly known as “Ttungba” (Binggrae’s Banana Flavored Milk in its jar-shaped container). Then a foreigner tapped A and showed them the screen of their phone. The screen reportedly said, “You’re Korean, so you can have this anytime. Would you give it to me?” A happily agreed and gave up the Banana Flavored Milk they had planned to buy. A’s comment became a hot topic, receiving more than 12,000 likes.

After hearing the story, Binggrae contacted A directly and sent a specially made gift. A shared photos of the certificate and souvenirs from Binggrae, including a scrubber, bag and key ring shaped like Banana Flavored Milk. “I just wrote about a small experience in a comment, but the views kept increasing, and then there were so many comments that the story spread everywhere,” A said. “Just when I thought, ‘This will probably blow over,’ and had forgotten about it, I got a direct message (DM) from Binggrae.” A added, “I’ve always loved Binggrae’s Banana Flavored Milk” and “My kids only drink Ttungba, too.”

Binggrae’s official account commented again on A’s post: “You gave up one jar of Banana Flavored Milk at the airport, but the emotion it conveyed went far beyond that. Thank you once again for your warm heart.”

According to Binggrae, overseas sales of Banana Flavored Milk rose 12.7% in January-September this year compared with the same period a year earlier. Overseas sales last year were also up about 96% from 2021, while the number of export markets expanded from 18 to 25 over the same period.

Banana Flavored Milk has recently become one of the signature foods that foreign tourists say visitors to Korea should try. In response, Binggrae has been actively marketing the product to foreign tourists, including by setting up dedicated displays at Incheon Airport and major tourist destinations in Seoul.

Meanwhile, companies’ direct responses to consumers’ spontaneous experiences and stories are serving as a way to build closer relationships between brands and customers. In March, when a video of a 12-month-old baby hesitating while trying to eat Banana Kick attracted attention on social media, Nongshim made and sent a special snack bag featuring the baby’s photo and the words “Banana Kick Baby.” In 2024, BBQ also made a surprise visit, accompanied by its mascot Chibagi, to the wedding of a couple in the United States who had gone on dates at BBQ restaurants every week for four years. The company also gave them round-trip tickets to Seoul and gift cards to use at its restaurants in the United States.

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