From perfumes to passport cases, 'KPop Demon Hunters'-branded merch is driving traditional purchases

Dollar shop chain Daiso said it will sell household goods designed after traditional Korean motifs starting Sept. 15. [DAISO]

 
Netflix’s "KPop Demon Hunters" is driving a surge in demand for products inspired by Korea’s royal palaces, folk paintings and traditional patterns, as brands from cosmetics makers to discount retailers race to capture the K-culture boom.
 
Cosmetics manufacturer Cosmax said Thursday it had developed two perfumes themed on the Joseon (1392-1910) royal court with the Korea Heritage Agency and the Korea Heritage Service’s Royal Palaces and Tombs Center. The scents are inspired by cherry trees at Changgyeong Palace and plum trees at Deoksu Palace. 
 

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The project is part of Cosmax’s "Scenteritage" project, which aims to recreate Korea’s historic fragrance profiles.
 
“We will continue to expand our research data on fragrance heritage that reflects our traditions and history as we look to broaden K-beauty’s global footprint,” a spokesperson said.
 

Cosmax researchers collect fragrance from flowering trees as part of the comestics manufacturer's "Scenteritage" project. [COSMAX]

 
Beauty firm Clio is also betting on traditional themes. It signed a partnership with the Korea Heritage Service in August and launched two "Heritage Edition Eye Palettes" inspired by plum blossoms and goldenrain trees. 
 
“The products sold out online within two days, and all offline inventory has been cleared as well,” a company official said. “We designed the products with global demand in mind, and with the strong response, we plan to expand the lineup to include skincare."
 

Two “Heritage Edition Eye Palette” products, created in collaboration between color cosmetics brand Clio and the Korea Heritage Service, is pictured in this image from the cosmetics brand's website. [CLIO]

 
Interest in products related to traditional Korean culture began to surge after "KPop Demon Hunters" was released in June, as shown in e-commerce data.
 
Handmade goods platform Idus said searches for keywords related to the film surged from June through August. Searches for Hojakdo — a magpie-and-tiger folk painting motif from the Joseon Dynasty — jumped 32-fold compared to the previous three months.
 
New listings of traditional culture-related products rose 62 percent between late June and August, and overseas orders from Western countries climbed 450 percent. 
 
“For Gen Z, products and merchandise with traditional motifs are a way to express individuality while for older generations, they evoke nostalgia,” Idus said.
 

Visitors looks at cosmetics on display at the 2025 MyK Festa at the Olympic Handball Stadium in Songpa District, southern Seoul, on June 19. [YONHAP]

 
Retailer Daiso is broadening its traditional design line, rebranding its "Hangeul Series" as the "Daiso 2025 Traditional Series." Starting Monday, the dollar store chain will sell 30 products, including white porcelain–patterned soju glasses and mother-of-pearl passport cases.
 
Analysts say combining tradition with design is becoming a key growth driver for Korean cultural products. 
 
Suh Yong-gu, a business administration professor at Sookmyung Women’s University, said emotional value is now as important as function and quality. 
 
“If products reflect Korean elements shown in well-known cultural content, they can offer both identity and differentiation,” Suh said.
 
Jo Chun-han, head of the retail research institute at Gyeonggi University of Science and Technology, said companies must go beyond surface-level design. 
 
“For products like cosmetics to succeed long-term, they must incorporate identity and brand storytelling,” he said.


This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY NOH YU-RIM [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]