On the afternoon of the 24th of last month at a large toy store on the stationery and toy street in Changsin-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. The store was bustling with more than 20 customers, but there were only two children, holding their parents' hands. The remaining customers were in their 20s to 40s. Most of them were not buying toys for their children but selecting toys for themselves. A 34-year-old man, Seo, said, "I came with my girlfriend and bought a teddy bear keyring. I wanted to hang a cute toy on my bag."
Around the same time in the underground shopping area of Euljiro 2nd subway station in Jung-gu, Seoul. There are headquarters of large companies and department stores, making the age demographic higher among passersby, yet a recent 'Gacha shop' has opened here. The store features rows of capsule vending machines, derived from the Japanese term "Gacha," which means "click click." A man in his 40s slowly examined the bright-lit store and looked at the vending machines. After 30 seconds, he inserted cash, turned the handle, and left with a keyring from the capsule, wearing a look akin to that of a child who has just received a coveted toy.
◇"Many adults looking for figures… displays separated for children and adults"
The toy industry is gearing up for the peak season of Children's Day, welcoming not children but so-called 'adult children' (a portmanteau of adult and child) as their primary customers. Although the country has been experiencing a significant low birth rate for an extended period, the toy market size has not diminished. It is analyzed that the influx of adult customers has supported sales.
According to the Statistics Korea, the population aged 0-14 years decreased by 15% from 6.45 million in 2019 to 5.49 million last year. However, the domestic toy market size estimated by the Korea Toy Industry Cooperative has been maintained at around 2 trillion won over the past five years.
The toy industry has gone beyond targeting adults seeking nostalgic toys from their childhood and has even started producing items specifically for adults. An official from the Toy Industry Cooperative noted, "In a situation where the child population is decreasing domestically, we are viewing toys for adults as a new breakthrough."
In the many toy stores on the stationery and toy street in Changsin-dong, figures related to animations like "Demon Slayer," "One Piece," and "Attack on Titan," which have many adult fans, have become primary revenue sources.
Song Dong-ho, the head of Seungjin Toys, who has been operating a toy store for over 30 years, said, "Recently, not just kids but also a lot of older men are visiting the store," and added, "The proportion of adult customers reaches 40% to 50% of the total."
The owner of another nearby toy store explained, "Figures are particularly popular among adults, so we arranged the displays for children and adults separately." Next to him, two female customers in their 30s were heard saying, "Is there no Crayon Shin-chan? Oh, here it is," and "Wow, it's overwhelming," while selecting figures.
The keyring market is also on the rise. Nearly everyone carries their keys now since front doors have door locks installed, but keyrings have survived as fashion accessories. It has become an essential item for adults who enjoy decorating their bags (known as "bag styling"). The reasons vary; some use them as couple items while others simply buy them because they are "cute."
Places to buy keyrings include nearby offline stores like Artbox or Daiso, as well as popup stores. According to Artbox, sales of figures and keyrings in 2022 increased by 250% and 180% respectively compared to the previous year. Annual sales have continued to exceed 100% growth over the previous year.
◇Gacha shop owner: "Many office workers put in 300,000 to 400,000 won at once and turn the handle."
Gacha shops targeting adult customers are rapidly increasing. Capsule vending machines, once mainly installed in university areas, have recently moved into the downtown Seoul, primarily populated by office workers.
Around 1 p.m. on the 24th of last month, about ten office workers dressed in suits or casual attire visited the Gacha shop at Euljiro entrance station within ten minutes. An office worker named A said, "Since it's operated unmanned, I can enjoy it without being self-conscious, and if I get the desired product in one or two tries, the satisfaction is great."
The downside of capsule vending machines is that putting in a few thousand won and turning the handle does not guarantee that the desired toy will come out. Therefore, people often turn the handle until a toy they like appears.
C, who runs a Gacha shop, stated, "People in their 30s and 40s tend to have economic leeway and show a distinct tendency to consume freely," and added, "In stores located in entertainment districts, it's common for office workers to spend 300,000 to 400,000 won at once."
Experts interpret the adultification of the toy market not as a temporary trend but as a structural change. Lee Eun-hee, a professor of consumer studies at Inha University, said, "In the past, there was a perception that it was strange for people in their 30s and 40s to like toys, but now a culture has formed where people with similar tastes gather and feel a sense of belonging and community." She added, "The trend of breaking existing notions and confidently consuming one's own hobbies will continue."