⑤ Targeting a Wide Range of Interests: From Beauty to Camping and Home Gardening

"Try to remember. You're forgetting something important."

This is a meme that went viral on social media under the title "Five Minutes After Entering Daiso." It humorously describes how people enter Daiso to buy something specific but end up distracted by other products, eventually forgetting what they originally came for. Daiso has even earned the nickname "ant hell" because it's so hard to leave once you enter.

Daiso, which people used to visit mainly for moving or cleaning supplies, has now transformed into a hotspot not only for teenagers but also for adults. With the launch of trending basic cosmetics like Riddleshot, Daiso has essentially started to function as a beauty platform. It is also expanding its scope into hobby products such as home gardening and camping.

Daiso, once strongly associated with household goods, has recently earned the title of a rising star in K-beauty. Starting with Nature Republic's "Botanical Garden" in 2022, Daiso gradually increased the number of cosmetic brands in its stores. At first, there was a prevailing perception that "cheap cosmetics must have many problems," but by consistently collaborating with companies like Dongkook Pharmaceutical, Able C&C, Clio, and VT Cosmetics, Daiso built a reputation for selling products with quality ingredients and reliable functionality.

The real breakthrough came with VT Cosmetics' "Riddleshot Facial Boosting First Ampoule." Riddleshot, which claims to stimulate cell regeneration through needle-shaped micro-needles, was both expensive and potentially irritating for sensitive skin, making it a hard sell for many consumers. However, Daiso started selling a box of six 2ml ampoules for just 3,000 KRW, eliminating these barriers. This matched the interests of people in their 20s and 30s who were interested in "slow aging" and improving skin barriers, leading to frequent sellouts.

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Thanks to the Riddleshot craze, Daiso's cosmetics sales from January to December last year increased by 144% compared to 2023. Among these, basic skincare products including Riddleshot saw a sales growth rate of 200%. Sales of color cosmetics also rose by 80%.

In addition, Daiso's focus on value for money combined with the rise of "dupe consumption" during the economic downturn created a strong synergy. "Dupe" is derived from the English word "duplicate" and refers to affordable alternatives that imitate famous high-end products. For example, Son & Park's Color Balm (3,000 KRW) sold at Daiso became popular after word spread that it was similar to Chanel's Lip and Cheek Balm, which costs 63,000 KRW.

As of November last year, there were 59 cosmetic brands available at Daiso, with over 450 different products on sale. Some brands have even launched exclusive lines tailored to Daiso's fixed pricing. LG Household & Health Care released "CNP by OD-TD Spot Calming Gel" exclusively for Daiso. Mamonde introduced a second brand, "Mimo by Mamonde," specifically for Daiso, and it surpassed one million cumulative sales in just four months. Despite the need to develop exclusive product lines for Daiso, the cosmetics industry is using Daiso as a testbed for new ideas and innovations.

On February 24, 2025, a pet corner was set up at Daiso Emart Mokdong Branch in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

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Daiso's strength lies in offering products that cater to a wide range of consumer interests, including camping, home training, and home gardening. In particular, Daiso's strategy fits perfectly with the "DIY" trend, where people combine multiple affordable products.

On the 16th, at the Daiso Yeomchang Station branch's tools and camping supplies section, a man who came with his family was looking for products on the shelves while watching a YouTube video. The video he was watching, titled "When a Person Crazy About Daiso Makes Camping Gear," showed how to make a barbecue grill using wire connectors and pots sold at Daiso. This video is a popular content with 2.93 million views.

On the 16th, at the Yeomchang Station branch of Daiso, a man who came with his family was seen searching the shelves while watching a YouTube video. The video, titled "When a Daiso Maniac Makes Camping Gear," showed how to create a barbecue fire pit using wire connectors and pots sold at Daiso. The video has become a hit, with 2.93 million views.

Other popular social media trends include making a whiskey dispenser with a 5,000 KRW Daiso shelf and "secret camping gear combos made by Daiso employees." Combining Daiso's affordable products to create new items is currently a hit on social media.

On the 24th, a gardening corner was set up at Daiso Emart Mokdong store in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. 2025.2.24. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

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The role of merchandise planners (MDs) has been crucial in enabling Daiso to offer such a diverse product lineup. Daiso MDs are tasked with introducing hundreds of new products every month. Since they have to eliminate middleman margins, they often travel abroad to meet suppliers directly. They source items with country-specific strengths, such as bamboo products from Vietnam, stainless steel goods from India, and ceramics and glassware from Turkey. Currently, Daiso carries products from over 3,600 suppliers in 35 countries worldwide.

A Daiso representative said, "Having MDs from various age groups is a key strength of Daiso. Our MDs conduct market research by personally visiting trade shows and meeting with prospective suppliers, which allows us to discover a wide variety of new items."