White Day is 14 March, one month after Valentine's Day, when people in Japan and Korea give a return gift to those who gave them something on Valentine's. For brands, that turns one gifting day into two. The best White Day campaign ideas link the two dates: a sign-up on Valentine's Day with a reminder and a gift for White Day, a return-gift finder, a "thank you" scratch card or a couples quiz. Start planning in January, before Valentine's Day, so you can collect sign-ups for both.
If you sell to customers in Japan or Korea, or to Japanese and Korean customers anywhere, Valentine's Day works differently from what most European marketers expect. Below you'll find how Valentine's Day and White Day work in Japan and Korea, the 2027 and 2028 dates, a planning timeline and 10 campaign ideas with the right game format for each, plus prizes, consent and local rules. For the European take on 14 February, see our guide to a winning Valentine's interactive campaign.
How Valentine's Day and White Day Work in Japan and Korea
Valentine's Day (14 February)
In Japan, Valentine's Day is traditionally the day women give chocolate to men. There are several kinds:
- Honmei-choco: chocolate for a partner or someone you love
- Giri-choco: "obligation" chocolate for colleagues and acquaintances, a custom that has been fading in many workplaces
- Tomo-choco: chocolate swapped between friends
- Chocolate for yourself: a growing share of buyers treat themselves, as nippon.com has reported
Korea follows a similar pattern, with women traditionally giving chocolate on 14 February.
White Day (14 March)
White Day is the "answer day". The people who received gifts on Valentine's give a return gift (okaeshi in Japanese). It started in Japan: a Fukuoka confectioner promoted marshmallows as a return gift on 14 March in 1977, and the national confectionery association launched White Day in 1978 (Wikipedia). It spread to Korea, Taiwan, China and other parts of East and Southeast Asia.
Classic White Day gifts are white chocolate, marshmallows, sweets and cookies, but accessories, cosmetics, flowers and experiences are common too. In Japan, there's a familiar idea that the return gift should be worth more than the original, sometimes two to three times as much (sanbai gaeshi). In Korea, sweets are the classic gift, and retailers there have moved towards wine, perfume and experiences in recent years.
Black Day (14 April, Korea)
Korea adds a third date. On Black Day, people who received nothing on Valentine's or White Day meet up and eat jajangmyeon, noodles in black bean sauce. It's light-hearted, and food and drink brands sometimes join in.
Things are changing
Gender roles are shifting, obligation gifts are fading and more people buy for friends and themselves. Some Japanese brands have reframed White Day as a day to say thank you rather than a duty. That's useful for marketers: a campaign about thanks and treats speaks to more people than one about couples only.
When Is White Day 2027 and 2028?
The dates are fixed, so only the weekday changes.
| 2027 | 2028 | |
|---|---|---|
| Valentine's Day | Sunday 14 February | Monday 14 February |
| White Day | Sunday 14 March | Tuesday 14 March |
| Black Day (Korea) | Wednesday 14 April | Friday 14 April |
Two things to note. Valentine's Day 2027 falls inside the 15 days of Lunar New Year, which starts on 6 February 2027 (see our Lunar New Year campaign ideas). White Day 2027 falls on a Sunday, so plan for people buying in the days before the weekend. Our free marketing calendar shows these dates alongside your other campaigns.
Planning Timeline
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Early January | Plan both dates as one campaign. Pick the goal and the main idea for each. |
| Mid-January | Build the games, write texts in Japanese or Korean with a native speaker, set prizes. |
| Late January | Connect your email tool or CRM, test consent and the reminder emails. |
| 1–14 February | Valentine's campaign live. Ask people if they want a White Day reminder. |
| 1–14 March | White Day campaign live. Send reminders to everyone who signed up in February. |
| After 14 March | Draw winners, follow up. In Korea, a Black Day post on 14 April is optional. |
10 White Day Campaign Ideas
1. Sign up on Valentine's, win on White Day
What it is: On Valentine's Day, people sign up to get a reminder before White Day and a chance to win the return gift. On 1 March, everyone gets the reminder and a game. You collect sign-ups in February and sell in March.
Channel: Website, social media and newsletter.
Format: Pre-registration, then a scratch card
2. Return-gift finder
What it is: Choosing a return gift is hard. A few questions (who it's for: partner, colleague, friend; budget; taste) lead to three suggestions from your range and a code by email.
Channel: Website, search and social ads.
Format: Product finder
3. A "thank you" scratch card
What it is: Frame White Day as a day to say thanks. Players scratch to reveal a treat they can keep or pass on. It includes everyone, not just couples.
Channel: Newsletter and SMS.
Format: Scratch card
4. Spin for a sweet prize
What it is: A wheel with sweets, gift wrapping, free shipping and one main prize. A simple spin works for gifting days: Danish hobby webshop Rito ran a five-day Valentine's spin-the-wheel campaign that generated more than €13,500 in revenue.
Channel: Website pop-up.
Format: Spin the wheel
5. Which sweet are you?
What it is: A personality test where each result is a type of sweet or chocolate from your range. People share the result and get a code. It suits confectionery, cafés and beauty.
Channel: Social media.
Format: Personality test
6. Couples' quiz
What it is: "How well do you know each other?" Both partners play, compare scores and enter a draw for a dinner or trip. Keep a friends' version too.
Channel: Social media and website.
Format: Quiz
7. Homemade sweets photo competition
What it is: Making chocolate and sweets by hand is a popular part of Valentine's Day in Japan. People upload a photo of what they made, and the community votes. Ask for permission to reuse the photos in your terms.
Channel: Social media and website.
Format: Photo competition
8. Treat yourself
What it is: A gift surprise for people buying for themselves, with a small extra in the box. It reflects how buying has changed, without making anyone feel left out.
Channel: Website and newsletter.
Format: Gift surprise
9. QR code on the gift box
What it is: Print a QR code on packaging or the gift card. The person who receives the gift scans it, plays and signs up. You reach the receiver, not just the buyer. Make the codes with our QR code generator.
Channel: Packaging and shops.
Format: Mystery box
10. Black Day for singles (Korea)
What it is: A playful skill game on 14 April for everyone who didn't get a gift, with a meal or treat as the daily prize for the best score. Keep it warm, not mocking.
Channel: Social media and app.
Format: Drop game with a leaderboard
More ideas: try the free competition idea generator or plan the social posts with the giveaway post planner.
Prize Ideas
- Sweets, chocolate or a gift box from your range
- Accessories, cosmetics or small luxuries, which are common return gifts
- A dinner or experience for two, or for two friends
- Free gift wrapping and delivery before 14 March
- Many small instant prizes plus one bigger prize in a draw
Instant win or draw? We compare them in instant win vs prize draw. Use the prize odds calculator to set quantities.
Collecting Sign-ups and Consent
- Ask before the result. Email or phone number comes before the spin or scratch.
- Two dates, one consent. If you want to email people about White Day after Valentine's, say so in the consent text. The consent text generator helps you word it.
- Language: You write all campaign texts yourself, so you can run in Japanese or Korean. Ask a native speaker to write or check them.
- Fair play: One entry per email address or phone number and blocked throwaway addresses.
- Terms: The competition terms generator gives you a draft.
Check Local Rules
Japan limits prizes in promotions under the Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations. According to the Consumer Affairs Agency, in a prize draw linked to a purchase, each prize may be worth at most 20 times the purchase value (for purchases under ¥5,000) or ¥100,000 (for purchases of ¥5,000 or more), and all prizes together at most 2% of the expected sales from the promotion. Gifts every buyer gets have their own limits. Korea has its own rules, so check with a local lawyer before you launch, and for Europe see competitions and GDPR. This article is general information, not legal advice.
What to Measure
- Sign-ups in February and how many play again in March
- Conversion rate from game visit to sign-up
- Code redemptions and revenue in the two weeks before each date
- New subscribers who buy on both dates
- Cost per lead compared with your other channels
Tag links with the UTM builder and calculate the return with the campaign ROI calculator.
FAQ
What is White Day?
White Day is 14 March, one month after Valentine's Day. In Japan and Korea, people who received a gift on Valentine's Day give a return gift. It started in Japan in the late 1970s.
Who gives gifts on White Day?
Traditionally men give return gifts to women who gave them chocolate on Valentine's Day. Today many people also swap gifts with friends and colleagues or buy for themselves, so a "thank you" theme reaches more people.
What are typical White Day gifts?
White chocolate, marshmallows, sweets and cookies are the classics. Accessories, cosmetics, flowers and experiences are common too.
What is Black Day in Korea?
Black Day is 14 April, a month after White Day. Singles who got no gifts meet up and eat jajangmyeon, noodles in black bean sauce.
When should I start planning?
In early January, so your White Day campaign can collect sign-ups on Valentine's Day.
Plan Both Dates at Once
White Day is the second half of a campaign that starts on 14 February, and in Japan it's followed by Golden Week in spring. Our Valentine's campaign guide covers the first half.
Scratcher has 40+ game formats, 150+ templates and Rex, an AI assistant that builds a campaign design from your website. Start your free 14-day trial (no credit card needed) or book a meeting and we'll help you plan Valentine's Day and White Day together.
