Goods Like Korean Hats and Lucky Pouches Flood the Market
Seoul’s official character “Baekho” is gaining attention from international fans, thanks to the global popularity of the Netflix original animated series "K-Pop Demon Hunters."
On July 31, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that posts featuring Baekho on its foreign-language social media platforms had received more than 200 likes. Baekho, a character from the Seoul City character lineup Hechi & Soul Friends, is inspired by the White Tiger (Baekho), one of the four mythical guardian beasts in traditional Korean culture, alongside the Black Tortoise and Serpent (Hyeonmu), Vermilion Bird (Jujak), and Azure Dragon (Cheongryong).
Baekho’s growing popularity is largely attributed to its perceived connection with the character Duffy from K-Pop Demon Hunters, which is also said to have been inspired by traditional Korean tiger folk paintings. Upon its release, K-Pop Demon Hunters topped Netflix’s viewership charts in 40 countries worldwide and gained global traction, with seven songs from its original soundtrack making it onto the Billboard charts.
Not only Baekho but also iconic Seoul landmarks featured in K-Pop Demon Hunters, such as N Seoul Tower and Bukchon Hanok Village, are drawing attention. This popularity is extending beyond animation, evolving into a broader interest in the city of Seoul itself. According to the city government, Seoul has emerged from being simply the center of K-trends to becoming a city that captivates global fans.
To meet the growing enthusiasm from international fans, Seoul is rolling out a series of events centered around Baekho. From Aug. 1, the Seoul Design Foundation will launch a two-week promotion at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) Design Store, offering Baekho merchandise at a 10% discount and introducing three limited-edition acrylic keychains.
Seoul’s foreign-language social media channels are also releasing interactive content, including short-form “challenge” videos featuring Baekho and K-Pop Demon Hunters. To further tap into the rising interest in Korean culture, new merchandise combining traditional Korean elements like the gat (traditional hat), daenggi (hair ribbon), and bok pouch (lucky pouch) will be launched later this year.
Min Soo-hong, director of public relations planning at the Seoul Metropolitan Government, stated, “The shared universe that connects K-Pop Demon Hunters with Seoul’s character Baekho is driving global interest in Seoul as the hub of K-pop and K-trends. We will actively use Baekho, which is already receiving enthusiastic support from citizens, to promote Seoul’s cultural assets on the global stage.”