[Edaily Reporter Han Jeon-jin ] “Bread products usually feature a lot of collaborations with characters and idols. I wanted to try something a bit ‘out of the ordinary’ in my role as a merchandise planner (MD). While I was brainstorming new collaboration ideas that differed from the norm, I saw the covers of Minumsa books featuring characters, and I had a gut feeling that ‘this could work.’”

Ko Da-seul, the GS25 Dessert Team MD who planned the GS25 “Minumsa Bread”—which has recently caused a sell-out frenzy—recalled the product’s launch in this way during a meeting with E-Daily on the 31st. The Minumsa Bread, which combines Minumsa literary works with the character brand “Today’s Cuteness” in convenience store bread, made its debut on the 21st and sold 50,000 units in just three days; cumulative sales have now surpassed 300,000 units. Demand has surged as customers rush to collect the transparent bookmarks randomly included in the bread, leading to a “rush-to-buy” phenomenon.

The idea originated just before the Seoul International Book Fair last June, upon hearing that Minumsa would be unveiling book covers created in collaboration with Today’s Cuteness—so-called “parallel covers”—at the event. Go, who had previously collaborated with Today’s Cuteness, took a keen interest in these covers. It was a time when demand for reading was growing amid the “text-hip” craze. “I thought this was a concept that could attract a diverse audience without overlooking either the character fanbase or the book-buying audience,” he said. He immediately proposed a collaboration to Minumsa through Today’s Cuteness.

His conviction grew even stronger after seeing the scene firsthand at the Seoul International Book Fair. When MD Ko visited the event in person, what caught his eye were women in their 20s and 30s standing in long lines to buy books and merchandise. MD Ko explained, “I was curious whether the people buying books would overlap with our actual bread-buying demographic, since we had no existing data or experience to draw on,” adding, “Seeing women in their 20s and 30s waiting in line for an hour at the event to buy books and related merchandise gave me confidence in my decision.” That was the moment the idea of bringing the fusion of literature and characters to convenience stores took shape.

They broke the mold of existing collaborations right from the product development stage. Typically, when collaborating with a character, the flavor is determined based on the character’s traits. As MD Ko explained, “For example, if we collaborate with Anpanman, since the character has red bean paste inside, we’d make a red bean-flavored bun, and the merchandise would include stickers.” However, it was difficult to connect literary works directly to bread. Instead, they considered “the Minumsa IP,” “delicious bread,” and “merchandise everyone wants” separately before combining them into one concept. For the bread itself, rather than creating an entirely new flavor, they selected products previously sold at GS Holdings that had received positive consumer reviews and revived them. MD Ko explained, “In my own way, this is a product that brings together the ‘best value’ of each element.”

The “transparent bookmark”—the key to the line’s success—wasn’t a random choice either. Stickers, the quintessential bread merchandise, are primarily collected for their collectible value, so demand is limited to enthusiasts. In contrast, bookmarks—a familiar item in publishing merchandise—can be used in daily life even by non-enthusiasts. In particular, MD Ko’s decision to choose a transparent material among various bookmark options was made with social media posts in mind. “I thought the text from the book showing through the transparent bookmark would look nice in a photo,” he said, adding, “I hoped the Minumsa books, merchandise, and bread would all be connected as one story.”

Of course, not everyone was convinced of its success from the start

Some expressed the opinion that the connection between books and bread was weak. Some even asked, “Where is Minumsa?” MD Ko confidently promoted the product’s marketability by personally showing the prototype and merchandise, and both the team leader and the executive in charge supported this new initiative. In fact, GS Retail(007070)operates a dedicated trend-focused team composed of employees in their 20s and 30s. MD Ko said, “Since recent trends are changing so rapidly, there’s been a growing atmosphere within the company to focus on the opinions of younger employees.”

The response exceeded expectations even before the launch. While GS Holdings’ Instagram posts typically receive around 100 shares, the pre-launch content for the Minumsa Bread was shared 3,000 to 4,000 times or more immediately after it was posted. The true extent of its popularity became apparent during the first weekend after launch. “I slept in and checked social media around 10 a.m., only to find my feed completely filled with the bread I’d created,” said MD Ko with a laugh. “I thought, ‘Why is this trending so much?’ and wondered if I was still dreaming.” Even consumers who don’t usually read books bought the bread, and many repurposed the bookmarks into keychains and other new merchandise.

Having marked her 10th year with the company this year, MD Ko’s next goal is to create products that resonate with consumers. This means she wants to create products—whether through taste or new experiences—that consumers will remember for a long time. She continues to scour social media and trend reports daily in search of her next idea. “As a product manager, it’s not easy for a single product to be remembered for over 10 years,” MD Ko said. “I want to leave behind a product—not just the Minumsa Bread—that the company can continue to offer even as time goes on.”