Expanding to Myeong-dong and Seongsu... Crowds Flock to Buy Items Starting at 5,000 Won

[Anchor]

Amid high inflation and an economic downturn, consumer shopping habits are changing. The so-called "ultra-low-cost fashion" market is growing rapidly, with T-shirts starting at 5,000 won and accessories starting at 1,000 won.

Here is a report by Hong Yeongjae.

[Reporter]

A fashion store in Myeong-dong, Seoul, is packed with teenagers, people in their 20s, and foreign tourists.

Hairpins and earrings filling the walls cost around 1,000 won, pouches are 3,000 won, and T-shirts start in the 10,000-won range.

Since most clothes and bags cost under 30,000 won, shoppers feel less burden even when their shopping baskets get heavy.

[Hwang Ji-yeon / University Student : If you budget around 10,000 won for shopping here, you can get three hairpins and a T-shirt, or maybe buy a bag....]

These ultra-low-cost fashion stores, which originally started as small shops in Dongdaemun wholesale markets, are recently expanding into major commercial districts like Myeong-dong and Seongsu.

Similar to warehouse-style stores like Costco or E-Mart Traders that lower prices through bulk purchasing and streamlined distribution steps, these stores gather a wide variety of fashion goods such as clothes and accessories in one place to sell in large quantities.

[Han Young-gyu / CEO of Mimiline : I think the trend itself makes it quite difficult to do business with just a single product line. Because we emulate a wholesale model and pursue wholesale pricing policies, we are able to sell a bit cheaper than regular retail stores.]

Daiso, which mainly used to sell household goods, is also rapidly expanding its fashion product lineup, ranging from T-shirts to windbreakers and sportswear.

None of the prices exceed 5,000 won.

[Han Dong-geol / Office Worker : I heard from YouTube and Shorts that their products are famous as cost-effective running gear, so I came here.]

Another advantage is that it saves shoppers the trouble and effort of comparing quality and prices, allowing for easy decisions.

[Tom / Tourist from Hong Kong : Sometimes I just want to buy clothes without thinking too much about it. If I wear them once or twice and don't like them, I can just throw them away.]

Daiso's fashion sector sales in the first half of this year increased by 140% compared to last year.

As consumption increases among people who want to buy multiple products with a small amount of money and casually enjoy short-lived trends, the territory of "ultra-low-cost fashion" is expanding rapidly.

(Camera Reporter: Park Hyun-chul | Video Editor: Lee Hong-myung)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.