[Report] "Is there a new Jjanggu figure?" Will the toy market 'big spender' Kidult become a culture?

"Want to Relive Childhood Experiences," "The Joy of Buying Toys Missed as a Child"
Marvel, Jjanggu, Lego... Popular Figures Among Adults with Strong Purchasing Power
Experts Say "Good Childhood Experiences Led to the Rise of Kidult Culture"

A view of the toy street in Changsin-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. / Photo by Intern Reporter Kim Gunchan kgc6008@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Gunchan] "I came to buy Lego or plastic models."

In Changsin-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, known as the so-called 'Toy Street,' which one might expect to be filled with children or teenagers, office workers can surprisingly be seen easily. These are adults who want to reminisce once again about the toys they played with during their childhood.

The so-called dream toys, which were barely obtained by begging parents when young, can now be easily purchased. Moreover, figures?miniature dolls perfectly recreating characters from movies, cartoons, and games?have become a hobby for adults and have formed a large market. These people are called 'Kidults,' a blend of 'Kids' and 'Adult.'

On the 6th, Mr. Park (29), an office worker met in front of a Lego store on Toy Street, said, "I want to find a way to spend my own time and a hobby to relieve the stress from work." As the conversation continued, his eyes were already quickly scanning the toy display, and just by looking at him, there was no difference from a child. He said, "I buy them to share childhood memories."

The number of Kidults is steadily increasing. Song Jeonghoon (35), manager of Seungjin Toys, said, "Young couples in their 20s and 30s often come to buy figures," adding, "For example, there are characters trending on Instagram or among friends at the time, like Jjanggu."

As Toy Street became a 'hot place' for Kidults, some stores changed their toy sales strategies. Park Jongjin (49), owner of Kidsland, which has operated a toy store for 23 years, said, "We need to change products targeting Kidults," and added, "We plan to reduce children's items and replace them with products for adults."

The main reason Kidults purchase Kidult products is the psychology of wanting to re-experience childhood. Mr. Nam (31), who is interested in toy guns, said, "I mainly visit Kidult stores at E-Mart or The Hyundai," and added, "When I was young, I couldn't buy them because they were expensive, but now I can buy them with my own money, so I buy them out of nostalgia."

◆ Steady Growth of Toy Market for Adults... Industry Actively Holds Events Targeting Kidults

The Kidult market continues to grow. According to the 'Content Industry Outlook Report' by the Korea Creative Content Agency, the Kidult-related market size grew by 20% annually, from around 500 billion KRW in 2014 to 700 billion KRW in 2015. It is estimated to have surpassed 1.6 trillion KRW in 2020 and is predicted to grow up to 11 trillion KRW in the future.

In the industry, Kidults are already an important marketing tool. In 2019, Popsocket Korea released smartphone grips and stands featuring designs of famous hero series characters and logos such as Iron Man, Hulk, and Batman. The cosmetics industry is similar. For example, Innisfree launched a 'Toy Story Collection.'

Meanwhile, the 'Legoland Together Pack' recently introduced by McDonald's for Family Month is also popular. The Legoland Together Pack is a collaboration product between McDonald's and the theme park 'Legoland.' Mr. Park, a company employee in his 30s, said, "McDonald's is delicious, but honestly, I buy hamburgers to collect Lego." He emphasized, "It's not just any Lego, but Lego that can only be purchased during a specific period, so it has value."

As a result, various Kidult shops are waiting for consumers. The Smore Market in Lotte Young Plaza, Myeongdong, Jung-gu, is a representative example. An employee, Ms. Lee (24), said, "The main customers are adults, and about 30 people visit daily on average," adding, "There are products for Kidults, and figures are mostly purchased."

She emphasized, "Figures are categorized by movies, so fans of those movies buy according to their tastes," and added, "Mania groups who follow series like Marvel or Pixar's Toy Story have favorite characters."

In August last year, the 'Play at Home' themed booth was installed on the 7th floor event hall and venue of Shinsegae Department Store Main Branch. Various contents were presented together, including large figures, coloring books, and balloon decorating.

◆ "The Desire to Postpone Aging... Strong Purchasing Power Will Sustain 'Kidult' Culture"

Kidults also purchase Kidult products as interior accessories to decorate their homes. Song Jeonghoon, manager at Seungjin Toys, said, "Many buy small accessory-type items to decorate their homes." Ms. Lee from Smore Market explained, "Customers mainly buy small figures or character keyrings that can be displayed at home."

There is also a view that the spread of Kidult culture is related to the purchasing power of adult Kidults. Park Jongjin, owner of Kidsland, said, "Adults in their 20s and 30s want to buy authentic products," adding, "There are figures priced at 130,000 KRW, and they buy those too."

Ms. Lee from Smore Market said, "Talking figures (figures that speak when a button is pressed) cost around 80,000 KRW, and Qposket (small-sized figures) are around 20,000 KRW," adding, "Mania customers tend to buy even if the price is high, and some spend over 100,000 KRW." Mr. Nam, shopping on Toy Street in Changsin-dong, said, "Toy guns usually cost around 100,000 KRW for the cheaper ones," and added, "Since I couldn't buy them when I was young, the unit price has become higher."

Experts analyze that the Kidult culture reflects a phenomenon projecting one's desires. Cultural critic Jung Deokhyun said, "We cannot ignore reality. Adults face fundamental difficulties," and added, "There is a strong desire to immerse themselves in their own world." He explained, "The target is childhood, the desire to postpone aging, and the search for things that remind them of good or fun childhood experiences, which is why Kidult culture emerged."

He also said, "Nowadays, the perspective on Kidult culture has changed positively compared to the past," adding, "There used to be critical views like 'Are adults doing what kids do?' Now, it is confidently accepted as a hobby or taste. Such things have become cultural trends and created an environment where they can emerge."

He diagnosed that adults' purchasing power cannot be ignored as a background for the growth of Kidult culture. Critic Jung said, "For culture to exert more power, it must become a trend and a significant culture, which is ultimately related to consumption," adding, "There are things that become more solidified through actual consumption. Most hobbies that adults engage in become strong cultures in that way."

He continued, "It is important that people realistically spend money to participate, which can also change the actual economic situation," and emphasized, "Kidult fundamentally means older generations playing with the games of younger generations, so it has a high possibility of becoming a culture itself."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.