Korean Consumer Trends Now
Korea · 2026 week 38 (09.14 - 09.20) · 7 entries
What are Korea's consumer trends right now?
Checked through Sep 19: Chuseok 차례 지내는 사람 30% — survey 이래 최저, Chuseok 상여금 주는 기업 61% — 작년보다 2%p 줄었다, 제철코어 stand out. All 7 entries are below, each with when it started and the numbers behind it.
Consumption
- 01
Chuseok 차례 지내는 사람 30% — survey 이래 최저
Hankook Research surveyed 1,000 adults Sept 4-7. Only 30% plan to hold the Chuseok ancestral rite, down 5 points from last year's 35% and the lowest since the survey began. 63% will see family who live apart (68% last year). Asked what Chuseok means, 43% said rest and recharging, 45% family togetherness.
Checked Checked 2026.09.19 · Hankook Research survey, Sept 4-7 · Traffic CF News report · Hankook Research, 1,000 adults · ancestral rite 30% (−5 pts) · seeing family 63% - 02
Chuseok 상여금 주는 기업 61% — 작년보다 2%p 줄었다
The Korea Enterprises Federation surveyed 601 companies with 5+ employees, published Sept 17. 76.5% give four days off, 14.2% five or more, 9.3% three or fewer. 61.0% plan a holiday bonus, down 2.0 points from last year's 63.0%.
Checked Checked 2026.09.19 · KEF announcement, 2026.09.17 · Traffic Segye Ilbo, 2026.09.17 · KEF survey of 601 firms · bonus 61.0% (−2.0 pts) · four days off 76.5% 
제철코어
In season is now consumed as a scarce experience rather than a time of year. Searches for seasonal food on Naver DataLab have more than tripled in five years.
Started 2026 keyword · Traffic Searches for seasonal food more than 3x higher than five years ago
나노 커뮤니티
People are going deep into tastes a few people share rather than trends everyone knows. Mass trends pass quickly; the small ones last.
Started 2026 keyword · Traffic Three keywords for young consumers- 05
trends코리아 2026 — 10대 키워드
Seoul National University’s Consumer Trend Center, led by professor Kim Nan-do, published ten keywords: human-in-the-loop, feelconomy, zero-click, ready-core, AX organisations, pixel life, price decoding, health intelligence (HQ), the 1.5-person household, and fundamentalism.
Started 2026 · Traffic Published by SNU’s Consumer Trend Analysis Center - 06
압축Consumption
With the downturn and high prices dragging on, compressed consumption — spending limited money deeply and only on what genuinely matters — is the central trend. Companies are answering with a two-track strategy, strengthening both value lines and premium lines at once.
Started 2026 · Traffic Cited by Retail Talk and other retail trade press - 07
아날로그 맥시멀리즘
As the luddite lifestyle of switching phones to greyscale spreads, so does #AnalogLife — posting the contents of an analog bag: a disposable camera, an embroidery kit, a puzzle book.
Started Spreading since early 2026 · Traffic Cited by Elle and Vogue Korea and other lifestyle titles
Sources · CF뉴스 한국리서치 Chuseok survey · 세계일보 경총 Chuseok 휴무 (2026.09.17) · KBWhy it's up · Univ. Tomorrow 20s Lab
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