And there’s a new tradition. I don’t know exactly when it started, but every 11/11 (November 11th), it’s Pepero Day.
What’s Pepero Day?
Pepero Day is mostly done by the young’uns since its a fairly new thing. maybe in the past 10 years? Well you know pocky sticks? They are called pepero – well, as we know it
Alright, I follow.
So on this day, a person would buy pepero for a loved one – either it be a boyfriend or girlfriend – or to a close best friend. It’s a sign of love but it started off as high school students giving it to their girlfriends to wish slenderness. But these days, most of the time girlfriends and boyfriends would make custom ones and give it to each other.
These are some of what may be exchanged between significant others on this day.
Those are some examples, haha.
And I have one last question about the pepero: is it a specific brand if you don’t make it yourself?
Usually it’s pepero, but pockys are used too because it’s like an imitation. But the Korean Markets will buy a TON in preparation for Pepero Day. Like, there will be a mountain made of pepero boxes. Insanity, people buy like 10’s or 20 boxes at a time.
Pepero is a brand, then? If so, do you think they pushed for the holiday?
Pepero are made by LOTTE. LOTTE is the company name. Pepero is the cookie name.
Is LOTTE the major company sold or are there competitive brands? I guess pocky counts, too, in that regard.
Yeah, but LOTTE is HUGE in Korea. They have their own theme park.
Do you think Pepero Day is corporate, then? Or a product of modernity?
Product of modernity. Because they didn’t start it. It kind of just boomed. Kids started it, they just played along and saw it as a good opportunity – that’s at least how I see it.
It’s a conglomerate: they have shopping malls, food products, entertainment investment and distribution company, finance companies, housings, hotels, oils, sports teams.
I still have my doubts about this holiday not being completely corporate. From what she said, it was one company capitalizing on a fad – like so many do – but it seems engineered, which I guess is ironic coming from someone that “celebrates” Christmas. This seems more like Valentine’s Day than the White Day and Valentine’s Day in South Korea. It also makes me wondered if something like this is celebrated in North Korea, where conglomerates are controlled. It’s a sweet tradition, but, like Valentine’s Day, is really built on marketing.