“Even if you live alone, make sure you eat”: Four convenience-store chains compete for solo holiday diners

“Even if you live alone, make sure you eat.” Ahead of the Chuseok holiday, convenience-store chains are competing with ready-made holiday meals aimed at people who will spend the festivities on their own.

The strategy targets the growing number of so-called “honchujok,” people who stay alone during Chuseok instead of traveling home. The chains are seeking to capture demand from customers who want traditional holiday food without preparing it themselves.

GS25 introduced its “Monthly Lunch Box: Hangawi Edition” on the 1st. The box includes three types of rice, black rice, Jeonju bibimbap and rapeseed greens rice, along with japchae, tteokgalbi, seasoned dakgalbi, dakgangjeong and assorted jeon such as omisan-jeok, corn jeon and rolled omelet. It also includes two pieces of songpyeon for dessert.

On the 15th, GS25 plans to release a “Chuseok Japchae and Jeon” dish combining donggeurangttaeng, omisan-jeok and japchae with meat and mushrooms. The same day, it will introduce a “Chuseok Bulgogi Gochujang Bibimbap Gimbap,” followed by a grilled maekjeok rice ball topped with gondre greens rice on the 22nd. CU is also preparing a Chuseok lineup made up of set meals and individual dishes.