Korean bakery café chain TOUS les JOURS has secured the official bakery café sponsorship of BTS THE CITY ARIRANG NEW YORK, converting four metro-area locations into branded fan destinations from July 24 through August 9. The partnership brings together one of the fastest-growing Korean bakery concepts in U.S. foodservice and one of the most commercially powerful acts in global music — a combination that signals how restaurant operators are increasingly using entertainment IP to drive foot traffic and merchandise revenue.
The Activation Playbook
All four participating cafés — in Dumbo (Brooklyn), Flushing (Queens), East Rutherford's American Dream mall (New Jersey), and Manhattan's Madison Square Park — will carry themed décor, an exclusive BTS THE CITY ARIRANG Cake, and a limited-edition menu alongside fan-favorite Korean bakery staples including Red Bean Bread, Kimchi Croquette, Milk Cream Bread, and an Iced Ube Latte. Guests who make qualifying purchases receive branded merchandise, while supplies last. The Madison Square Park location also hosts a Weverse Stamp Rally through August 3, where attendees scan QR codes to collect digital stamps — an integration that ties the physical café visit directly into the fan app ecosystem.
Beyond in-store programming, the brand is running a four-stop pop-up series from July 29 through August 1, each running 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at a participating café, with complimentary samples and exclusive giveaways. The activation peaks August 1–3 when TOUS les JOURS joins the official ARMY 'MADANG' fan festival at the Korean Cultural Center New York, offering signature menu items, interactive experiences, and spin-wheel prizes including cakes and coupons.
Why It Matters for Operators
"Korean culture is not a trend for us," said Max Gallegos, Chief Marketing Officer of TOUS les JOURS. "It is at the heart of our food, our hospitality, and the experiences we create every day." That framing matters strategically: rather than chasing a licensing deal as a one-off stunt, the brand is positioning the BTS partnership as an authentic extension of its identity — a model other restaurant operators exploring cultural marketing may want to study closely.
The sponsorship also demonstrates a maturing playbook for experiential foodservice marketing. By layering in-store LTOs, digital engagement through Weverse, pop-up programming, and a presence at the official fan festival, TOUS les JOURS creates multiple touchpoints that serve both loyal customers and first-time visitors drawn by the event. For a chain with more than 200 U.S. locations and more than 1,750 worldwide, the New York activation functions as a high-visibility brand-building moment in one of the country's most competitive bakery café markets.
The Korean wave — spanning food, beauty, music, and entertainment — has become a durable commercial force in American consumer culture, and beverage and food concepts rooted in Korean tradition have benefited measurably. TOUS les JOURS, owned by CJ Foodville and operating in the U.S. since 2004, is well positioned to convert the cultural momentum of a BTS world tour into sustained new-customer acquisition — provided the operational execution across four locations lives up to the promotional ambition.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
