TV show IPs now expanding offline with pop-up restaurants and ice shows

Entertainment intellectual property (IP) in South Korea is increasingly breaking free from the confines of television screens, venturing into the offline world through innovative pop-up stores and immersive experiences. This trend allows audiences to engage with their favorite shows and characters in tangible ways, moving beyond passive consumption.

A prime example is the tvN variety show "Wooju Tteokjip" (Space Rice Cake House). The show's concept of a rice cake shop was brought to life as a pop-up store, "Wooju Tteokjip Jigu 2hojeom" (Space Rice Cake House Earth Branch 2), in Seoul's Yeonhui-dong. This temporary establishment, which even served as a filming location, offered fans a chance to taste rice cakes made with freshly prepared rice cakes, mirroring the show's premise. The reservation platform Catchable even featured a witty message: "Please try not to visit. Running the business is hard."

Another tvN program, "Street Restaurant Fighter," which pits 20 renowned chefs against each other in a culinary survival format, has also embraced offline expansion. The show launched a dedicated reservation page on Catchable for the chefs' restaurants and partnered with Lotte Department Store for a pop-up store at its Jamsil branch. This collaboration, running until September 17, features relay menus from the participating chefs, offering customers a taste of the show's competitive culinary world.

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Pop-up stores and character merchandise like goods are popular, so the broadcast is engaging in promotional activities that utilize such trends.

Beyond culinary-themed experiences, the popular web novel IP "Solo Leveling" has transformed into an ice show, "Solo Leveling on Ice." Featuring top South Korean figure skaters like Cha Jun-hwan and Kim Ye-rim, the show brings the fantasy world of hunters and monsters to life on ice. "Solo Leveling" has also collaborated with the professional baseball team Samsung Lions for merchandise, further extending its reach.

Cultural critics note that this shift towards offline IP expansion reflects a broader societal trend where people seek more direct, hands-on experiences. While past shows like "Youn's Kitchen" and "Jinny's Kitchen" featured real restaurants, they were primarily observational for viewers. The current wave of offline experiences, however, offers active participation, allowing fans to "touch and experience" the content, creating a deeper connection and engagement.

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It can also be seen as reflecting the current trend where people are attracted to things they can directly touch and experience.