On a Friday afternoon, 28-year-old office worker Kim Seo-hyun found herself drawn to colorful exfoliating towels and massage tools while visiting Seoul’s bustling Namdaemun Market. A regular sauna enthusiast, Kim said she decided to check out the market after coming across a video on Instagram Reels. She enjoyed browsing various trendy items like jade rings and even picked up souvenirs for her friends.
The consumption habits of South Korea’s 2030 generation are shifting. Late-night drinking sessions are on the decline, while spending on exercise, health foods, and rest-oriented activities like saunas is on the rise. Traditional markets, once overshadowed by online shopping, have re-emerged as trendy treasure troves for the younger crowd.
According to data analyzed by Samsung Card from January 2023 through September of this year, the number of transactions by 2030-somethings in the lifestyle goods category at Namdaemun Market skyrocketed 14.8 times in September compared to January of last year, with transaction amounts increasing 4.8 times. On social media, content featuring shopping guides and unique market vendors has gone viral.
Sauna usage among individuals in their 20s and 30s in the Seoul and Gyeonggi regions also jumped 36% this September compared to the same month last year, marking the third consecutive month of 30% growth. Meanwhile, traditional wellness spots offering enzyme and mugwort treatments saw transaction counts increase 2.6-fold over the same period.
The Rise of Fitness and Low-Sugar Diets
While late-night drinking has lost its appeal, enthusiasm for physical fitness is soaring. The average per-person transaction count for late-night dining and drinking among young adults between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. has steadily decreased from 7.2 transactions in 2023 to 6.4 transactions this year. In contrast, the sports sector usage rate for this demographic reached 19.7%, outpacing those aged 40 and above at 14.3%. Running specialty store usage surged 2.36 times over the past three years.
When it comes to food, the focus has shifted toward low-sugar and high-protein choices. Consumers in their 20s and 30s utilized health food restaurantsβsuch as salad and poke spotsβ22% more often than older demographics, and online malls specializing in chicken breast and protein products saw an 87% higher usage rate. Convenience store sales for zero-sugar and high-protein items were also 45% higher among younger buyers.
Understanding Recoverynomics
An official from Samsung Card noted that the Recoverynomics trend reflects how younger generations are actively investing not only in healthy diets and exercise but also in body and mind restoration through saunas and therapeutic baths.
