The popularity of Halloween in South Korea
Halloween is now one of the biggest celebrations among the younger generation in Korea, but it is more centred on the student population, rather than very young children - which isn’t surprising given this generation’s consumption of social media. In the early 2000s Halloween was mainly marked by Koreans who had studied in the USA, but over the last decade the spooky holiday has found a bigger audience in Korea and, now, rivals many traditional holidays.
As would be expected, the biggest concentration of Halloween activity is centred in the capital Seoul, in particular the district of Itaewon, which is known for its cultural diversity. Anyone who has watched the popular Korean drama series Itaewon Class, streaming on Netflix, can see for themselves the level of celebration. The costumes are stunning and elaborate, with Korean influencers and celebrities known for throwing lavish Halloween parties. Unlike with the US celebrations, people don’t dress up to collect sweets, but rather to enjoy elaborate themed parties or dinners. The streets of Itaewon are literally filled with partygoers on October 31st.
According to Korean retail giant, BGF Retail, its convenience stores in the Itaewon entertainment district rack up their best beer and whisky sales during Halloween.
