Museum shoppers drive MU:DS brand to record first-half sales

A miniature of the Pensive Bodhisattva [National Museum of Korea Cultural Foundation]

MU:DS, the museum product brand of the National Museum of Korea Cultural Foundation, posted sales of 21.8 billion won ($14.2 million) in the first half of 2026. Sales to foreign customers reached 1 billion won, nearly doubling from the same period last year and reflecting strong global momentum.

An Admiral Yi Sun-sin helmet-style wine stopper [National Museum of Korea Cultural Foundation]

The National Museum of Korea Cultural Foundation released first-half performance figures for MU:DS this year. Sales of 21.8 billion won represented a roughly 90 percent increase from the same period a year earlier. The foundation attributed the growth to a strategy of transforming cultural heritage from something to be admired and commemorated into something people use and share in daily life, lifting both revenue and brand recognition at the same time.

A color-changing cup set featuring three tipsy seonbi figures [National Museum of Korea Cultural Foundation]

The standout product driving first-half sales was the Pensive Bodhisattva. The miniature figurine — a perennial bestseller — sold about 12,000 units in the first half alone, pushing cumulative sales past 61,000. Other products that gained traction and broadened the lineup included a dancheong-patterned keyboard, an Admiral Yi Sun-sin helmet-style wine stopper, a moon jar door chime and a color-changing cup set featuring three tipsy seonbi figures.

A collaboration product with Hybe [National Museum of Korea Cultural Foundation]

Collaborations with well-known brands also fueled sales growth. A BTS co-branded line developed with Hybe launched March 20 and, riding the wave of a Gwanghwamun concert the following day, generated about 43 million won in sales at the museum shop alone within two days. In May, during Family Month, MU:DS partnered with Kakao Friends to install large Ryan and Chunsik sculptures at the National Museum of Korea and release a related product line.

A collaboration product with Kakao Friends [National Museum of Korea Cultural Foundation]

Purchases by foreign visitors also rose sharply. Sales to foreign customers in the first half reached about 1 billion won, nearly double the figure from the same period a year earlier. Art prints and magnets using painting imagery, the Pensive Bodhisattva miniature, the Admiral Yi Sun-sin helmet-style wine stopper and the color-changing cup set featuring three tipsy seonbi figures all ranked among the top sellers. Products popular with domestic buyers are now finding an equally receptive audience among foreign visitors.

Pensive Bodhisattva miniatures on display at the Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles [National Museum of Korea Cultural Foundation]

The brand has also expanded its overseas presence. MU:DS participated in Korea House at the Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics, introducing heritage-inspired products to international visitors. It then broadened its reach through an exhibition at the Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles titled "MU:DS, K-Culture Unboxed in Los Angeles," where a dedicated space called "Room of Contemplation in LA" offered a reinterpretation of the Pensive Bodhisattva to strong local response. The foundation plans to continue releasing premium products of collectible value through expanded collaborations with artisans and artists.

"MU:DS is a brand that does not keep cultural heritage confined within museum walls, but connects it so that people can naturally experience and enjoy it in their everyday lives," said Jeong Yong-seok, president of the National Museum of Korea Cultural Foundation. "We will keep raising the brand's competitiveness and product quality so that people around the world — not just in Korea — can experience the value of our cultural heritage in their daily lives."

terry@heraldcorp.com