Gmarket has chosen the reunited K-pop group H.O.T. as the face of its 2026 Lunar New Year Big Sale.
The five original members — Moon Hee-joon, Jang Woo-hyuk, Tony An, Kangta, and Lee Jae-won — appear together in a single ad for the first time in 25 years, marking their 30th anniversary as a group.
Seven short videos will use the band’s hits as playful motifs to introduce holiday deals.
A teaser was released on January 28 and the full spots begin rolling out on February 1.
H.O.T. returns as a unit — what does Gmarket’s pick signal?
This Lunar New Year campaign is more than celebrity casting; it is a strategic move. However, the decision is carefully timed: Gmarket selected H.O.T. to stand out during its big seasonal promotion and to drive public attention around the sale.
The teaser recreates an iconic guerrilla concert moment, sparking both fandom excitement and nostalgia.
This choice is a clear marketing signal aimed at maximizing consumer attention.
Meanwhile, Gmarket builds on previous relay-style campaigns that together have surpassed 150 million views, using that track record as a platform for this promotion.
In that sense, the campaign targets brand awareness, website traffic, and immediate sales at the same time.
Campaign structure and timing
The structure is straightforward.
Seven main videos each riff on one of H.O.T.’s hit songs while showcasing Lunar New Year sale items.
The teaser appeared on January 28 on Gmarket’s YouTube channel, and the full videos will be published sequentially on YouTube and Instagram starting February 1.
On set, the mood was upbeat and the members brought a warm, approachable energy to the shoot.
Content is produced in short, repeatable formats designed for rapid sharing across online platforms.
Gmarket expects the campaign to answer seasonal demand for special offers while increasing brand affinity.
As an online marketplace, the company can quickly convert traffic into purchases and measure immediate returns.
Marketing significance
The potential effects are clear.
First, the campaign draws a broad audience, including older fans who remember the group’s heyday.
Second, the 30th-anniversary angle generates earned media coverage and social buzz beyond paid ads.
Third, adding H.O.T.’s brand power to a relay campaign increases the diversity and reach of the promotions portfolio.
The amplification from a single campaign can deliver outsized visibility compared with the ad spend.
At the same time, the campaign is designed to stimulate online buying behavior.
Timing the product mix to a holiday when household-level spending rises makes the offer persuasive from a household budget perspective (how families allocate money during a holiday).
To maximize impact, the ads must do more than evoke emotion; they should drive transactions.
However, from an investment viewpoint, the company needs to validate mid- to long-term cost effectiveness, not just short-term buzz.
If a brand repeatedly relies on temporary excitement, freshness can fade.
Therefore, Gmarket should measure beyond headline metrics and examine repeat purchase rates, visit-to-purchase conversion, and cart conversion as financial indicators.
Critical perspectives
There are legitimate concerns.
Ad and production costs do not always translate directly into increased revenue.
First, nostalgia-driven campaigns can be short-lived.
Familiar songs and memories spark initial interest, but consumer attention may cool quickly.
Second, consider the gap between the fandom and actual buyers.
H.O.T.’s core fans are likely in their late 30s and 40s; whether they will convert into buyers for specific product categories depends on the offer and price points.
Third, message fit matters.
If the star’s image and the brand’s positioning clash, consumers can react negatively.
Repeated celebrity tie-ins may also dilute a brand’s unique identity over time.
Fourth, relying only on short-term metrics is risky.
Views and impressions matter, but if they do not translate into measurable business outcomes, the campaign’s effectiveness is limited.
Gmarket should set hypotheses, run A/B tests, and use follow-up promotions to validate results.
Cultural meaning and fandom
The cultural resonance is strong.
For fans, it revives memories and brings the past into the present.
The 30th-anniversary symbolism goes beyond advertising and holds cultural significance.
Their reunion after 25 years builds intergenerational bridges.
That common ground not only stirs nostalgia inside the fanbase but also introduces younger audiences to retro aesthetics as a fresh content trend.
Moreover, reviving an older star act fuels cultural recycling.
Music, fashion, and language get reconsumed, opening new creative and commercial opportunities.
Platforms and brands amplify these effects when they act in tandem.
Execution and risk management
Preparation matters.
Use conversion rates, customer segmentation, and repeat-purchase mechanisms to test sustainability.
First, keep budget transparency.
Set clear KPIs to understand how ad and production spend translate into revenue.
Second, design the product mix to appeal both to fans’ emotions and to real buying intent.
Third, leverage the online platform for fast feedback loops and adjust messages and offers in near real time.
Finally, align expectations between the brand and the stars.
If the talent’s image diverges from the brand’s long-term values, the campaign can backfire.
Thus, Gmarket must balance short-term viewership gains with longer-term customer relationship building.
In short, Gmarket’s choice of H.O.T. promises strong initial visibility and traffic.
However, turning that heat into sustainable business results requires a careful data strategy and thoughtful product planning.
The most effective ads will mix nostalgia with clear purchase incentives timed for family-level seasonal demand.
Viewed as a business decision, this campaign is an investment case.
A company can leverage brand assets to secure quick visibility, but the key is converting that attention into steady cash flow and long-term customer value.
In conclusion, the H.O.T. casting is a strategic bet whose success depends on execution.
The question is whether Gmarket can translate viewership into purchases and build loyalty beyond a single holiday window.
The central issue is how the company blends nostalgia with the platform’s data and product strengths.
Key takeaways: H.O.T. in full formation is likely to win attention.
But the company must measure results, manage the brand asset over time, and design A/B tests and repurchase incentives to secure lasting value.
Do you think this reunion will do more than generate short-term buzz and actually contribute to Gmarket’s long-term growth?
