[Edaily Reporter KYUNG GYEYOUNG ] Ahead of Chuseok, the convenience store industry has launched a competition to offer ready-to-eat meals for the holiday. With the growing number of people spending the holiday alone—the so-called “solo holidayers”—the industry aims to tap into the demand for convenient holiday meals in just the right quantities.

According to industry sources on the 8th, four convenience store chains—CU, GS25, 7-Eleven, and E-MART Co., Ltd.—are launching a variety of ready-to-eat meals for Chuseok, ranging from full-course meal boxes featuring traditional holiday dishes to gimbap, rice balls, and desserts.

Demand for convenience store ready-to-eat meals during the holiday season has been steadily increasing. According to BGF Retail(282330), which operates CU, sales of holiday bento boxes during the three-day holiday period—including the holiday itself—recorded double-digit growth rates: 18.5% in 2023, 20.8% in 2024, and 12.2% in 2025 (year-over-year).

In particular, areas where single-person households reside—such as university districts, studio apartment complexes, and officetels—accounted for 60.5% of CU’s holiday meal kit sales. At 7-Eleven as well, sales of convenience foods during last year’s Chuseok holiday period increased by 23% for triangle rice balls and 15% for boxed meals compared to the previous year’s Chuseok holiday. Min Jeong-hwan, MD of the FF Team at GS Holdings, stated, “As the number of people spending Chuseok alone has recently increased, demand for convenient holiday meals is also on the rise.”

In response, CU will launch the “Bountiful Chuseok Feast Lunch Box” on the 15th, featuring soy sauce bulgogi, japchae, assorted jeon, and three-color namul, as well as the single-item dish “Bountiful Chuseok Japchae and Assorted Jeon.” On the 9th, the company will also introduce a classic Chuseok treat: “Sesame Songpyeon” (3,500 won), containing a total of eight rice cakes—four white rice cakes and four mugwort rice cakes.

GS Holdings, utilizing its signature 9-compartment container, launched the “Lunch Box of the Month: Chuseok Edition” on the 1st, featuring three types of rice, galbi-style rice cakes, various jeon, and songpyeon. Following this, on the 15th, it will release “Chuseok Japchae & Jeon” and “Chuseok Bulgogi Gochujang Bibim Kimbap,” and on the 22nd, “Chuseok Grilled Pork Skewers Rice Balls.”

Following the launch of the “Good Fortune-Filled Tteokgalbi Gimbap” and “Good Fortune-Filled Sanjeok Musubi,” 7-Eleven plans to release the “Good Fortune-Filled Festive Meal Lunch Box” on the 15th, featuring beef bulgogi, kimchi jeon, donggurangtang, and smoked duck. Notably, the “Rice Project”—which allows customers to enjoy the taste of freshly cooked rice without microwaving—has been applied to the gimbap and musubi. This marks the first time Seven-Eleven has incorporated this project into its holiday ready-to-eat meals.

E-MART Co., Ltd. will unveil its “Chuseok Full Moon Feast” on the 16th, featuring black rice, Korean pork bulgogi, three-color pancakes, three-color seasoned vegetables, and mini glutinous rice yakgwa for dessert. The meal is designed to provide a complete dining experience from the main course to dessert.

The Chuseok-themed boxed meals from these convenience stores are priced in the 6,000-won range, likely targeting consumers looking for reasonably priced food options. E-MART 24 is offering a 30% discount on its holiday boxed meals through the end of this month for customers who pre-order via the mobile app and pay using partnered payment methods.