The retro wave hitting K-pop is strong. Following physical albums, 'nostalgic items' are being increasingly summoned in official merchandise.

According to the entertainment industry on the 9th, JYP Entertainment recently produced 'Tamagotchi' as official merchandise for its group Stray Kids, starting pre-orders on the 4th. The Tamagotchi features animal characters 'SKZOO' representing each member, available in a character-shaped silicone case along with a photo card.

Stray Kids Tamagotchi goods released by JYP Entertainment. /Courtesy of JYP Entertainment
Stray Kids Tamagotchi goods released by JYP Entertainment. /Courtesy of JYP Entertainment

Tamagotchi is an egg-shaped handheld game device released by Bandai in Japan in 1996. Users can raise virtual pets. It gained immense popularity immediately after its release in South Korea and established itself as a representative toy of the 1990s.

Consumer response has been enthusiastic. The initial pre-order quantity sold out within a day, prompting a second round of pre-sales. On X (formerly Twitter), 'Tamagotchi' trended in real-time for two consecutive days, generating buzz.

SM Entertainment also released an MP3 player as official merchandise commemorating its 30th anniversary on the 18th of last month. The model iFP-100 from iRiver, which gained explosive popularity in the early 2000s, has been reborn with new features such as Bluetooth. Its characteristic triangular pillar shape was faithfully recreated, attracting attention.

The retro trend in K-pop merchandise is interpreted as being driven by the success of the retro revival of physical albums.

Last year, SM Entertainment released the first full album 'Not a single one' by aespa, offering a CD player with the album package and continuing with a third round of pre-sales, which received positive reactions. It was praised for its practicality, being capable of playing all types of CDs and connecting with external speakers.

Aespa Karina holds the CD player from the package of her first studio album, Amageddon. /Courtesy of Aespa Instagram

CUBE Entertainment also released a cassette tape version of the mini album 'I Speak' by the group (G)I-DLE. According to CUBE Entertainment, the cassette tape version was released in addition to the standard version to capture the Y2K (2000s) sensibility.

While retro has been a commonly used concept in the K-pop genre, it seems that the trend solidified around the debut of New Jeans in 2022. New Jeans attracted attention by launching their first album 'New Jeans' and mini second album 'Get up' packed in bags exclusively for CD players right from their debut.

Following this, the music video for the pre-released single 'Ditto', released in December of the same year, utilized a camcorder, leading a trend of vintage cameras.

Lee Young-ae, a professor in the Department of Consumer Studies at the University of Incheon, noted, 'It seems that the unique experience of enjoying the latest trendy K-pop culture through products used by previous generations resonates with the MZ generation. Given the possibility of evoking nostalgia among the 30-40 fan base, the retro goods craze is likely to continue.'