The Korea Times
A Daiso store in Sinchon, western Seoul, was crowded with college students on Wednesday evening. “There’s something fun about shopping at Daiso,” said Song Seung-min, a 26-year-old college student who stopped by to browse the cosmetics section. “It makes me feel rich because I can buy all kinds of things without actually spending much.” Thrift-driven spending grows amid high inflation The rising popularity of Daiso shopping is part of an emerging consumer trend among Koreans in their 20s and 30s called “small indulgences.” Rather than cutting back on spending altogether, the trend refers to a selective pattern of consumption seeking enjoyment and satisfaction at a lower cost. These consumption trends are driven by high inflation, which has persisted since 2022. According to Statistics Korea, the consumer price index rose 5.1 percent that year, marking the start of a sustained period of elevated inflation. At the time, online communities and social media were flooded with content such as the “no-spend challenge,” in which people tried to avoid spending for a set period, a
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