[DiaryPoint = Reporter Eom Ju-yong] McDonald’s Korea said on November 5 that cumulative sales of its Big Arch burger topped 1 million just two weeks after its launch. An ad inspired by John Park’s order-rap video, along with a “John Park Set,” also drew attention. The 1 million figure, however, refers to Big Arch sales overall, not sales of the John Park Set.
On October 23, singer John Park visited a McDonald’s with fellow singer Kwak Jin-eon in a video posted to the YouTube channel “John or Park?” The two, who had learned about hip-hop from rapper Loco, took on a challenge to order their food in rap. A clip featuring Park’s deep voice and rhythmic recitation of the order also spread as a short video.
Viewer comments on the video turned into an advertising idea. One viewer suggested using Park’s rap as an ad track and pairing a Big Arch meal with an Oreo McFlurry. The comment received about 15,000 likes. On October 28, McDonald’s Korea posted an ad featuring Park’s rap on its official social media accounts, captioned, “Your ad is ready.”
The “JOHN PARK SET” featured in the ad combines a Big Arch burger, Coca-Cola, and an Oreo McFlurry. The menu pairing from the video was linked to Park’s name, turning a customer suggestion to add dessert to a Big Arch meal into an ad concept.
Big Arch, launched in South Korea on October 22, is a large beef burger. It comes with two 113-gram beef patties, three slices of white cheddar, crispy onions, lettuce, fresh onion, pickles, and a signature sauce.
A McDonald’s Korea representative said, “We’re pleased that Big Arch, introduced in response to customers looking for a bigger, more filling beef burger, has received a strong response and passed 1 million units sold in just two weeks.” The announcement did not include a separate sales figure for the John Park Set.
The “John Park Set” shows how viewer reactions to a video can shape a brand’s advertising and menu combinations. Alongside its Big Arch sales announcement, McDonald’s said it would continue offering menu items that reflect customers’ varied tastes and demands.