The customization trend has risen among the MZ generation in South Korea, with young individuals designing different things based on their personal taste. It has become a new way for them to express themselves in today's modern world.
The rising phenomenon among millennials and Gen Z has naturally impacted the DIY industry. This trend, like almost anything we do, has a significant influence on the environment, too. But the question is: is its effect on the Earth good or bad?
This article will examine this growing personalization trend and how it affects both the DIY industry and Mother Nature.
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MZ Generation Starts Customization Trend in South Korea
Young consumers in Korea, particularly millennials and Gen Z, are reshaping how they can express themselves. They are currently into customization, transforming everyday objects into distinct statements of identity. This has sparked a booming trend of designing personal items uniquely, from diaries and bags to keyboards and desks.
The trend is called “-kku,” a suffix taken from the Korean term for decorating. Big data research agency KPR Insight Tree revealed that Koreans' interest is rising at a steady pace. Mentions of customization-related keywords online increased by 75.3% from January to August in 2024. The figures went from 233,274 to 408,986 searches.
Diary and Journal Decoration
Styling diaries is one activity that fueled the customization trend among the MZ generation in South Korea. Aside from just recording special moments, young people also get busy making their notebooks pretty inside and out and a reflection of themselves. They attach stickers and masking tape when writing on the pages. They would also include related pictures and drawings, and some would even create their own diary covers.
The trend of customizing journals has reached YouTube. Many people upload videos of them giving tips to beginners on how to apply and arrange ornaments on diary pages. Some share ASMR videos, while others give reviews of decorative supplies.
Actress Jo ARam is one example of those into diary decoration. During her appearance on the reality show “I Live Alone,” she shared that she has a diary where she records special memories. She also mentioned decorating the notebook to make those memories “more special and memorable.” She even revealed that she can spend hours on a single spot when she designs her diary.
Aside from diary decorating, adorning bags with different keychains and plushes, and personalizing tumblers with stickers and keyrings have become major parts of the customization trend among the MZ generation in Korea.
What’s Behind the Customization Trend Among the MZ Generation in Korea?
According to Lee YoungAe, a professor of consumer economics at Incheon National University, explained that millennials and Gen Z’s appreciation for experiences resulted in the rise of the personalization trend.
She pointed out that the younger generations have characteristics that cherish first-hand experiences and personal involvement. Lee also compared the previous and new generations. She said that older generations prefer buying finished products, while the younger ones care more about the experience, how useful something is, and how easy it is to use.
The professor further commented, “As a result, rather than simply acquiring completed products, they're a generation interested in creating something uniquely their own when consuming a product and projecting their values onto objects, like things that exist specifically for them.” She said that the MZ generation has a “do-it-yourself desire” to have products they've made as theirs through personal use or experiences.
In other words, young Koreans care more about having products that feel meaningful to them because they've put time, effort, or emotion into using them in ways that make them happy.
Professor Lee YoungAe noted that the customization trend in Korea will run steadily and expand to other items people use in everyday life. She said that the phenomenon may go beyond small personal items to larger-scale projects like home decoration, construction, or even urban gardening.
In addition to Koreans' “do-it-yourself desire,” Lee said that inflation is another factor that drives young consumers to seek ways to obtain self-sufficiency to prevent spending over the budget.
Impact of the Customization Trend in South Korea on the DIY Industry
As the trend of personalizing things surges, demand for decorative supplies is growing as well. The online platform 29CM reported that sales of expensive writing products like fountain pens, ballpoint pens, and pencils increased by 240% this February year on year. Sales of diaries and planners also grew by 64%, while notebook sales recorded a 43% rise.
29CM Official Website
Keyring products were also a must-have. From October 2024 to January 2025, keyring sales jumped by 178% compared to the same period in 2023-2024. Plush and mini bag-style pouch keyrings, in particular, surged by 28% and 173% on 29CM, respectively.
This high demand has prompted brands to release new items suitable for the customization trend among the MZ generation in Korea. For example, distributor Asung Daiso introduced MBTI-inspired personality stickers and character stamps ideal for diary decorating. They have also released DIY plush keychains for people interested in designing bags. Other than that, Asung Daiso launched spring-themed decorative supplies, including cherry blossom patterned stickers and DIY rubber band keyrings.
Daiso Official Instagram
Lifestyle brand JAJU has also made initiatives to respond to young Koreans' demand in decorative supplies. The company offered personalized initials embroidery when customers bought their pajama set. It gained positive feedback when JAJU first started it in December last year. Because of the explosive response, the brand officially introduced the service.
Coffee brands like A Twosome Place also grabbed the trend as an opportunity to release new products and capitalize on them. They launched a New Year's gift set consisting of a tumbler strap and holographic removable stickers.
Meanwhile, the local shopping mall I'Park hosted a keyboard festival in February. The event features about 20 brands offering different products for personalizing keyboards, like covers, keycaps, and special edition models.
The Sustainability Dilemma: Is the Customization Trend Eco-Friendly or Wasteful?
Customization is a rising trend among millennials and Gen Z. It allows people to express their individuality through personalized accessories, everyday items, and home decor. But as this trend grows, an important question emerges: Is customization a sustainable movement, or is it contributing to excessive consumption and waste? Let's look closer at the effect of this phenomenon on the environment below:
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