Ahead of Children's Day on May 5, an analysis found that the gifts bought for children or grandchildren differed. Parents were seen seeking practical new products and gifts based on nostalgic content, while grandparents appeared to prioritize scarcity and collection value.
According to tech recommerce platform Bungaejangter on the 5th, an analysis of search data in the fourth week of last month showed a sharp increase in searches for Children's Day gift keywords.
In particular, among parents in their 30s and 40s, there was a glimpse of a so-called "taste handover" trend to share characters and content they enjoyed in childhood or youth with their children.
Searches for "Starbucks Toy Story" on Bungaejangter surged 227 times from the previous week, placing it near the top. It is interpreted that parents familiar with the Toy Story series sought limited-edition goods to build rapport with their children.
Demand for game consoles also grew. The Nintendo Switch OLED climbed 13 places in search rankings from the previous week, emerging as a popular item. This reflects a preference for "practical gifts" that consider utility and versatility.
By contrast, among grandparents in their 50s and 60s, interest was notable in items with high collection value. Searches related to Pokémon cards were particularly active, and some rare cards, such as "Magikarp AR," saw search volumes jump more than 64 times from the previous week.
As recent cases of rare cards fetching high prices in transaction have become known, there is analysis that Children's Day gifts are expanding beyond simple toys into forms that combine the concepts of "collection" and "investment."
A Bungaejangter official said, "Looking at this year's Children's Day searches, parents went for practical new products, while grandparents directly hunted for rare listings their grandchildren wanted, and these generation-specific buying patterns were reflected in the data."