The “Watermelon Oolong tea” mentioned by the group I.V. Jang Won-young on the Taiwan concert stage is gaining explosive popularity there. The franchise, which saw Jang Won-young’s unexpected special, thanked Jang Won-young.
According to local media including EBC News on the 3rd, Jang chose “Watermelon Oolong tea” as the Taiwanese food he wants to taste at the K-pop concert held at Kaohsiung National Stadium in southern Taiwan on the 31st of last month. “I’ve never heard of it before, but it’s like a drink only in Kaohsiung,” he added.
Watermelon Oolong Tea is a summer menu of “Taiwan’s famous franchise drink store, Chan Ju Dan,” a cool drink with watermelon juice in it. Chan Ju Dan operates more than 100 stores around the world, including all of Taiwan.
After Jang Won-young’s comment, “Watermelon Oolong tea” went viral online, attracting citizens to taste it at Tranjudan stores in various places. Some stores were sold out, and social media (SNS) posted a series of reviews saying, “I went to many places, but I couldn’t buy it in the end.”
A store owner posted a message on social media, “Thank you Jang Won-young for recommending watermelon oolong tea. It’s sold out today. I’ll ask the headquarters to restock it right away,” and the message became a hot topic of conversation.
In response, Tranjudan’s headquarters are also in full swing to promote the product. “Some stores have sold out watermelon oolong tea,” the company said on its official SNS. “Please wait a little longer. They are running fast.” It also introduced proof shots of consumers who drank along with Jang Won-young, adding to the enthusiasm. The craze has spread to other beverage stores. “We are also selling oolong tea with watermelon juice,” said Sun Bay, a tea shop in Taiwan.
Jang Won-young also commented to fans through the fan communication platform ‘Bubble’, saying, “The watermelon oolong tea I ate in Kaohsiung is so delicious that I keep thinking of it.”
This is not the first time Jang Won-young’s words have led to “out-of-stock chaos.” “Shoffenhauer at Forty” and “The Words of the First Ministry,” which Jang introduced as her favorite books through YouTube channels and broadcasts, were popular as they ranked first and second in bestsellers at Kyobo Bookstore and Yes 24.
SALLY LEE
US ASIA JOURNAL
