On the 11th, the owner of a jewelry store at Sungnyemun Import Market in Jung District, Seoul, said this. As the shop has gone viral on social media (SNS) as a "jade ring mecca," the number of customers in their 20s and 30s has jumped, not just those middle-aged and older.
Around 1 p.m. that day, despite it being a weekday, about 10 customers stood at the counter trying on jade rings one by one. A person surnamed Hwang (26) from Bundang District, Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, said, "I came because I wanted to see in person and buy the ring I had only seen in photos on SNS," adding, "There are more customers my age than I expected."
Among young people lately, so-called "jade-core," which uses jade accessories in fashion, is trending. Prices range from a few thousand won to high-end pieces, and even within the same shade of green, the hues and patterns vary, so the fun of "digging" to find a favorite piece yourself is drawing young shoppers to Namdaemun Market.
◇ From 4,000 won to several million won… jade accessories are popular
Across Sungnyemun Import Market, it was easy to spot young customers choosing jade rings. One accessory shop owner took out a box of jade rings placed on one side of the counter and showed it to customers. "These days, most customers come to buy jade rings," the owner said, adding, "We stock items starting in the 4,000-won range so young customers can choose without pressure."
Jade accessories sold at the market that day ranged widely in price, from a few thousand won to several million won. Prices vary depending on the jade's color, transparency, and degree of cracking, they said.
The appeal is that you can choose distinct pieces even with relatively little money. Because they are not mass-produced to look identical like manufactured goods, the colors and patterns differ slightly, making the very process of trying on and comparing multiple rings a form of entertainment.
An office worker surnamed Lee (30) from Dongjak District said, "Even among green rings, each one feels different," adding, "I plan to try on several myself and pick the one I like best."
This trend is also visible across the fashion jewelry market. According to the Fashion Jewelry Consumer Survey 2025 by the Korea Jewelry Industry Promotion Foundation, as of July last year the fashion jewelry purchase rate hit a record high of 21.1%. Meanwhile, the average purchase price fell 30.7% from a year earlier to 43,955 won. More consumers are buying jewelry, but demand has shifted to relatively cheaper products.
◇ BTS V and Go Youn-jung also wore them… "jade-core" spreads via SNS
Celebrity use has also helped fuel the jade ring trend. BTS V wore several jade rings of different colors and designs on both hands when he took the stage at a concert held at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul in March. Actor Go Youn-jung's look pairing a pale jade ring with silver rings and a bracelet also drew attention on SNS.
Jade rings, once regarded as traditional ornaments for middle-aged and older people, have been rediscovered as fashion items for the young. The company that supplied V with jade rings said visits and orders from BTS fans in Korea and abroad continued after the concert, and sales of the design V wore more than doubled.
Online interest has also grown quickly. According to the social big data analysis platform SomeTrend, over the past six months mentions related to "jade ring" and "jade bracelet" on Naver Blog and Instagram rose 126% and 306%, respectively.
On SNS, posts introducing "how to shop for jade rings at Namdaemun" are also appearing one after another. They share everything from where shops with a wide selection are located and what to check before buying to color combinations and how to wear them.
◇ Buying jade rings to dishware and the flower market… the 2030 "Namdaemun course
Along with the jade ring craze, more young people are visiting Namdaemun Market itself. After hunting for jade ring shops, they browse sauna supply stores, dishware shops, and the flower market, then eat in the hairtail alley—an SNS-shared "Namdaemun course."
Amid high inflation, the ability to browse and shop for a variety of items at relatively low expense is also cited as a factor attracting young people. Traditional markets once visited to buy necessities are turning into spaces for "treasure-hunt consumption," where people personally track down items others don't know about.
Commercial district indicators are also improving. According to the Korea Real Estate Board (REB), the vacancy rate for small shops in Namdaemun fell from 16.5% in the first quarter of 2025 to 5% in the first quarter of 2026. It may be hard to conclude that the inflow of young people directly caused the drop in vacancies, but as more people visit the market, the commercial area appears to be recovering.
Lee Eun-hee, an emeritus professor in the Department of Consumer Science at Inha University, said, "More young generations are visiting markets because they can browse a variety of good-value items in one place," adding, "The very process of personally discovering unusual items is also working as an enjoyable experience."