"It's not really the bread I'm after," Kim said with a grin, tearing into a blueberry jam-filled pastry to retrieve a coveted sticker featuring one of his team's players. "I'm determined to collect all 21 stickers for my home team."
Kim is one of millions caught up in South Korea's latest baseball craze, where fandom now stretches far beyond the ballpark. SPC Samlip’s line of KBO-themed breads, each containing collectible portrait stickers of players, has become a runaway success, selling three million units within 10 days of its release.
Companies across the country are scrambling to align themselves with the surging popularity of the Korean Baseball Organization League, which is experiencing an unprecedented boom.
Just one month into the season, the league shattered attendance records, drawing more than two million fans and filling stadiums to capacity during the opening series.
After surpassing 10 million spectators in 2024, the KBO's momentum shows no signs of slowing, eclipsing even its pre-pandemic heights. For fans, the growing commercialization is not a distraction, but another way to deepen their connection to the game.
Convenience store chains have eagerly joined the frenzy.
CU partnered with the Doosan Bears and Yonsei University Dairy to launch baseball-themed cream buns, selling over 120,000 units in their first week. Each bun is wrapped in team logos and inspirational slogans, reinforcing baseball's transformation from a sport into a lifestyle brand.
"Professional baseball isn't merely entertainment anymore — it's a cultural movement," said an industry insider. "Fans aren’t just watching games. They're living them."
GS25, another major convenience chain, has gone a step further, converting select stores into baseball-themed spaces, complete with locker room decor and exclusive team merchandise. The effort appears to be paying off: GS25 reported a 20 percent year-over-year increase in sales at these locations.
Elsewhere, major brands are capitalizing on the baseball boom.
Lotte World Adventure, a prominent theme park, is offering discounts of up to 42 percent for Lotte Giants season ticket holders throughout April. Galleria Department Store collaborated with the Hanwha Eagles to mark the team's 40th anniversary, opening a popup store that promptly sold out of limited-edition apparel.
Even the KBO itself has entered the merchandising fray, partnering with fashion platform Musinsa to launch a popup store in Seoul's Seongsu neighborhood earlier this month. The store, open for five days, combined baseball memorabilia with retail promotions from brands like Domino's Pizza and Lotte Chilsung Beverages, recreating the festive atmosphere of a ballpark.
Fans participated in interactive events, from batting and pitching challenges to personality quizzes designed to match their fan types. Outside, a massive dome tent, styled like a baseball, anchored the store's outdoor plaza, surrounded by flags representing all ten KBO teams.
Domino's even reimagined its pizzas, designing elongated pies for easy one-handed eating — perfect for fans juggling food and cheering. "Baseball in Korea is a cherished ritual," said a Dominos spokesperson. "We wanted to add another layer to that tradition."
Analysts say the sport's renaissance is fueled largely by a younger, more diverse fanbase — especially women in their 20s and 30s. A KBO survey of 8,000 spectators found that 64.3 percent reported greater interest in the league compared to last year. Among women in their 20s, that figure jumped to 77.9 percent.
"I've been cheering for the Samsung Lions since I was eight," said Yang, a 21-year-old university student living in Seoul. She vividly recalled the moment she fell in love with the game: a bottom-of-the-ninth comeback by Samsung Lions legend Lee Seung-yuop.
Yang's devotion extends beyond the stands. She proudly showed off her collection of Lions shirts and cheering accessories. "Wearing the team colors makes us one," she said.
Recognizing the trend, teams are shifting marketing strategies to court younger female fans.
"As young fans, especially women, continue to increase, we are committed to communicating with them and tailoring our marketing activities accordingly," an LG Twins spokesperson said.
reporter
Kim Dong-young
davekim0807@ajupress.com
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