Although the South Korean national soccer team saw a disappointing performance at the 2026 North and Central America World Cup, the so-called "Blokecore" fashion trend—wearing soccer jerseys and other sportswear as everyday casual wear—has been steadily gaining popularity.

Blokecore is a portmanteau of "bloke," a British slang term for a man, and "normcore," which refers to a style of ordinary, unpretentious fashion.

The trend began to gain traction in South Korea in 2024 after being worn by celebrities such as Jennie of Blackpink and members of NewJeans. It has since established itself as a mainstream fashion style, bolstered by the growing culture of sports spectating.

Soccer fans have been showcasing their unique Blokecore styles in celebration of the World Cup season.

Fans of professional baseball, which surpassed 6 million cumulative spectators as of June 17, are also frequently wearing baseball jerseys in their daily lives.

Sports fans have expressed their satisfaction with Blokecore becoming a staple of daily fashion.

Kwak, a 31-year-old who has been a fan of the KIA Tigers for 20 years, said, "In the past, I would only bring my jersey to wear inside the stadium, but now I am happy that I can wear it in my daily life. Since they cost over 100,000 won, it feels like I am finally getting my money's worth now that I can wear them more often."

Oh, a 36-year-old who has supported the English Premier League (EPL) club Liverpool for 17 years, shared, "I didn't have many opportunities to wear my team jersey before, but thanks to the recent trend, I can wear it like casual clothing. I even feel a sense of solidarity and connection when I see others wearing the same team's jersey."

Professional baseball teams, enjoying increased attendance, are capturing fans' hearts by releasing a series of collaborative products with characters and fashion brands.

The Doosan Bears recently launched a jersey in collaboration with the "Mangoo-gom" (Mangrujin Gom) character, while the SSG Landers introduced jerseys and merchandise featuring the character "Pingu."

The LG Twins also have plans to collaborate with the character "Hello Kitty."

Choi, a 30-year-old LG Twins fan, said, "Wearing a collaboration jersey instead of a basic one makes me feel like a more 'die-hard' fan. With various items like hoodies and windbreakers available, I can wear them comfortably and stylishly in my daily life."

Driven by this popularity, sales and search volumes for Blokecore items have surged.

According to Musinsa, the search volume for "uniform" on its platform from June 1 to 29 increased by 453% compared to the same period in March.

Searches for uniform-related products spiked, including "South Korea soccer uniform" (5,476%), "national team uniform" (1,001%), "national team jersey" (1,264%), and "Blokecore" (183%).

During the same period, transaction amounts for "soccer jersey tops" rose by 407% and "soccer jersey bottoms" by 231% compared to March.

At SSG.com, uniform sales from June 1 to 29 increased by 662% compared to the same period in May and 408% compared to the same period in March.

An official from SSG.com stated, "Sales have increased evenly across the board, including South Korean national team jerseys, international national team jerseys, and overseas soccer club jerseys, reflecting an expansion in related demand."

(Photo: Provided by reader, Yonhap News)