A scene from the Netflix animated film K-Pop Demon Hunters (Image courtesy of Netflix)
SEOUL, July 21 (Korea Bizwire) — As Korean pop culture continues to captivate global audiences, secondhand K-pop merchandise is experiencing a dramatic surge in international demand, driving a new wave of “reverse direct-to-consumer” sales from South Korea to overseas buyers.
According to Bunjang, a leading Korean secondhand marketplace, the platform’s global transaction volume in the first half of 2025 jumped 333% year-on-year, with the number of overseas transactions soaring 345% over the same period.
The most-traded items were K-pop idol photo cards, followed by dolls, figures, albums, DVDs, posters, fashion items, and fan merchandise — all categories linked to the expanding global K-pop fandom.
Bunjang noted that the recent global success of the Netflix animated series K-pop Demon Hunters has further fueled demand. Items related to characters “Duffy” (a tiger) and “Soo-ssi” (a magpie), inspired by traditional Korean folk art, have become hot exports. Products like a Korean folk-art music box, bucket hats, and AirPods cases from the National Museum of Korea have sold to buyers in the U.S., Canada, and Singapore, while a traditional gat-inspired pen found a buyer in the Netherlands.
Riding the momentum, Bunjang is actively expanding its international presence. The company operates a dedicated “Global Bunjang” website for foreign customers and has partnered with top platforms such as Mercari in Japan and eBay in the U.S. It now integrates with 13 global sales channels, with outbound transaction volumes and revenues growing at least 30% monthly.
The platform is also exploring targeted media campaigns in key regions like Singapore, where demand is climbing.
“There is growing global interest in K-goods that extends beyond star merchandise to broader aspects of Korean culture,” a Bunjang spokesperson said. “We aim to further develop our services to make Korean cultural products more accessible and convenient for international users, in step with the rising popularity of K-content worldwide.”
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
