Overnight queues form for Chiikawa merchandise
Japan’s beloved character franchise Chiikawa has sparked extraordinary demand in Seoul, with fans reportedly forming an overnight queue outside the official permanent store at I’Park Mall in Yongsan. Photos shared on social media on October 7 showed people sitting on mats, wrapped in blankets and waiting outside the shop at Seoul Station’s neighboring commercial complex.
Some fans said they arrived before dawn but still received queue numbers in the hundreds. One social media user wrote that arriving at midnight resulted in a number in the 380s. Another said they reached Yongsan on the first train of the morning, only to receive a number in the 700s. The scale of the crowd led some visitors to joke that they could attend school or explore Seoul before returning to the store.
Japan’s Chiikawa becomes a Korean retail phenomenon
The queue formed outside South Korea’s first permanent official Chiikawa store, which opened on the third floor of the Living Park section at I’Park Mall Yongsan in February 2026. The shop sells a wide range of merchandise, including plush toys, keychains, stationery and other character goods.
Demand was already intense when the store opened. During its initial period, the shop operated with advance reservations for two weeks, reflecting the strong interest among Korean fans. On October 7, in-store reception reportedly began at 6:30 a.m., while one visitor said they received a numbered ticket at 6:56 a.m. Others who arrived around 10:30 p.m. the previous evening reportedly still found more than 100 people ahead of them.
One fan said the line near the entrance was already full by 11 p.m. Another described the latest crowd as possibly the largest yet, adding that numbered tickets appeared to run out more quickly than during previous visits.
Movie release adds to merchandise demand
The surge comes as interest in Chiikawa remains high following the South Korean release of Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island on September 30. Fans who watched the film have been seeking related merchandise, helping drive renewed attention toward the permanent store.
Chiikawa was created by Japanese illustrator Nagano and first introduced in 2020. The series follows small, adorable characters including Chiikawa, Hachiware and Usagi. Although the characters live in a cute and visually gentle world, the stories often involve work, examinations, financial concerns and everyday challenges. This combination of comfort, humor and recognizable adult anxieties has helped the franchise attract audiences well beyond children.
Social media highlights both enthusiasm and concerns
South Korean fans have shown strong enthusiasm for the franchise before. In September 2024, an advance-reservation website for a Chiikawa pop-up store at Yongsan I’Park Mall reportedly received as many as 180,000 visits.
However, the latest crowd also prompted concerns about product limits, sellouts and queue management. Some visitors questioned whether certain items could be purchased only once per person. Other social media posts claimed that complaints had been made and that police had visited the area, although those claims were not independently confirmed in the report. One post also alleged that a man, rather than store employees, was helping organize the line.
The scenes in Seoul underline the growing international reach of Japanese character culture. From anime and manga to carefully designed lifestyle goods, Japanese intellectual properties continue to build strong emotional connections overseas. For many fans, visiting an official store is not simply a shopping trip but a cultural experience—and, in this case, a full-day Seoul adventure beginning before sunrise.
