[Anchor]
As scorching weather with perceived temperatures nearing 40°C (104°F) continues, citizens are seeking out cool places or sipping cold beverages to beat the heat. Heat-related products are seeing a significant surge in sales compared to last year, enjoying a seasonal boom.
Reporter Sim Useop has the story.
[Reporter]
A window tinting shop in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul.
Reservations and inquiries are flooding in due to the intense solar heat that has grown even fiercer following the monsoon season.
Most of these are vehicles undergoing rework, where existing films are removed and replaced with new ones.
[Kim Jae-wook / Automotive Window Tinting Shop Representative: There are films that are bright yet offer high blocking rates. Many people are switching to products that offer good visibility, brightness, and high heat-rejection rates, as those effects are very beneficial.]
A convenience store smoothie machine instantly blends ice and fruit.
Children visiting with their parents and teenagers continue to drop by.
[Bang Su-yeon & Seo Ji-nu / Mok-dong, Seoul: Since we often give them smoothies or fruit at home, they ran straight over as soon as they saw that picture. (Mom, you can't have any!) Okay, okay.]
Looking at the overall sales of the convenience store brand, smoothie sales last weekend—alongside ice cups and ice cream—increased by over 30% compared to the previous week.
A department store is packed with customers in the middle of the day.
A significant portion of them are so-called "mall-cation" visitors who have come to shopping malls to escape the heat.
[Park Hak-su & 안유민 / Songdo, Incheon: It's so hot that long-distance travel is too difficult for the kids. (We also came to buy gifts for acquaintances, eat something delicious, and enjoy ourselves in the cool air.)]
This month, sales of heat-related items such as sunglasses and parasols at this department store rose by 40% compared to a year ago, while cooling appliances like air conditioners and fans nearly doubled.
With customers flocking in to dine in cool indoor spaces, sales at food courts and restaurant zones also jumped sharply.
On the other hand, traditional market vendors are facing a double whammy: fewer visitors coming to the market amid the sweltering heat, alongside the burden of cooling costs to store goods and attract customers.
(Video Editing: Park Na-young, VJ: Jeong Han-wuk, Design: Lee Ga-jin)
※
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.