Sold Out: 200,000 Units in Just 10 Days! Premium Ice Cream “BRULEE” Makes Its Long-Awaited Korea Debut — Behind the Scenes of the Launch PR
Hello, SUNNY DAYS readers.This is Horie from SUNNY SIDE UP.
A quick question—are you familiar with OHAYO Dairy’s premium ice cream “BRULEE”?
It is known for its fragrant, caramelized top—crisp like authentic crème brûlée—over smooth milk ice cream. When it first launched in Japan in 2017, it became so popular that sales had to be suspended after just 10 days, and it went on to win the Grand Prix at the “Frozen Foods Ice Cream General Election 2022″—a standout favorite in Japan!
In recent years, social media posts by K-POP idols and influencers sparked major buzz among Korean visitors to Japan, who began calling it a “must-try ice cream on any trip to Japan.” It went on to post exceptionally strong sales, especially in inbound-heavy areas such as Asakusa and Ginza.
And on July 22, 2026, that “BRULEE” finally made its long-awaited Korea debut as “OHAYO BRULEE MILK”!
For this cross-border project, we at SUNNY SIDE UP partnered with our local collaborator, Prain Global. From pre-launch teaser initiatives to a media event in Seoul, an influencer event, and digital magazine tie-ups, we handled one-stop, integrated production from the planning stage.
This time, we are pleased to share a behind-the-scenes look at the project, which got off to an exceptionally strong start—selling out 200,000 units in just 10 days after launch.
Two Key Challenges in the Korean Market: “The Rise of Imitations” and “The Story Value Only the Original Can Offer”
While “BRULEE” enjoys firmly established popularity in Japan, its expansion into the Korean market came with a serious challenge that needed to be addressed.
Namely, the fact that imitation products were already circulating in Korea.
If local consumers—unfamiliar with the authentic taste and craftsmanship—formed their brand image based on those imitations, there was a risk that BRULEE’s premium value would not be properly conveyed when it arrived.
For that reason, it would have been difficult to compete with rivals through a simple new-product announcement such as “a popular ice cream from Japan is coming to Korea.”
It was essential to make visible the value and story that only the original could offer—such as the passion behind its development, created through “seven years from concept” and “over 1,000 prototypes,” as well as the patented proprietary technology that delivers its signature crisp texture—and to build premium branding that clearly set it apart from competing products.
A Strategic PR Plan Rolled Out in Phases Starting Two Months Before Launch
To address this challenge, we executed a multi-phase PR plan meticulously designed to move from awareness to anticipation, and ultimately to purchase as we approached launch day.
To build consumer interest ahead of launch, we first released teaser videos starting two months before the release date.
We also rolled out tie-ups with local digital media, including “VOGUE,” to create a premium brand world. This helped cultivate anticipation that “the premium ice cream making waves in Japan is finally coming.”
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On July 21, the day before launch, we held a large-scale launch showcase event in Myeongdong, one of Seoul’s leading trend hubs.
The event was held in two parts: Part 1 welcomed local media, and Part 2 welcomed local influencers. Speakers included Cho Soo-kyung, Head of Product Division at Korea Seven (operator of 7-Eleven), renowned local pâtissier Justin Lee, and Atsushi Fujimoto, Chairman of the Board at OHAYO Dairy. They presented the product’s development story and the proprietary method that achieves its signature crisp, caramelized top.
Above all, what captured attendees’ attention was the experiential value of “BRULEE”—actually cracking the caramelized top with a spoon and eating it.
The moment the caramelized layer cracked, the rich, indulgent milk ice cream spread across the palate—drawing a strong response throughout the venue. After the tasting, many questions came in about the product and its Korea launch, social media buzzed with posts from the event, and anticipation was fully heightened on the eve of release.
In addition, to ensure BRULEE’s high quality, technical capabilities, and the development story behind it resonated with business audiences as well, we secured an exclusive interview by The Korea Economic Daily with Atsushi Fujimoto, Chairman of the Board at OHAYO Dairy. By sharing the brand’s “story of technology and passion” before launch, we cultivated strong trust in the brand—going beyond mere buzz.
Sold Out: 200,000 Units in 10 Days! Searches Surge to 15x Month-on-Month
When launch day arrived, consumers across 7-Eleven stores in Korea began visiting one after another in search of “OHAYO BRULEE MILK.”
The momentum continued after launch, with a cumulative 200,000 units sold out in just 10 days. In addition, on Google Trends and Naver DataLab, brand searches surged to 15x the previous month (up approximately 1,400%).
Beyond simply selling the product, we successfully expanded awareness in the Korean market that “BRULEE = OHAYO,” and strongly reinforced its value as the original brand—even amid the presence of imitations.
Behind the Big Success: A Japan–Korea “One Team”
Behind the strong start of this promotion was not only media outreach, but also a PR strategy that adapted the product story and the background of its patented method to the local market—addressing the serious challenge of “confusion between the authentic product and imitations.”
However, there is one more essential element when telling the story of this project.
It is the presence of “Prain Global,” with whom we have built a strong partnership for over 10 years in Korea as our Sister Agency.
This result was possible precisely because staff in Japan and Korea fully crossed the boundaries between agencies and functioned as “One Team,” truly as if we were a single company.
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▼ Click here for related articles To Korea’s “Sister Agency,” Prain Global: Cross-Border PR Built as “One Team” |
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At SUNNY SIDE UP, we solve clients’ communication challenges through one-stop support—from cross-border global PR like this Korea launch to domestic PR events, media exposure strategies, and digital marketing.
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