"Carcinogen Levels Increased 80 Times in 1 Minute"
"Claims of White Blood Cell Counts Falling Below Normal Range"
It has been reported that some stress relief toys from China contain carcinogenic substances. Although the harmfulness has not yet been confirmed, caution is required as Chinese-made products can also be purchased on domestic online shopping malls.
Popular 'Jumulreok Toys' in China... Prices Soar in the Secondhand Market
On the 22nd, Hong Kong's Sing Tao Daily reported that 'Jumulreok toys' (Chinese name 'Nienie') have recently become popular in mainland China. Made of silicone material, these toys quickly return to their original shape even after being squeezed. The toys come in various shapes such as dolls and food, and are popular because squeezing them while carrying them around helps relieve stress. Tang Mo from Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, said, "I have been hooked on jumulreok toys since March," adding, "I hang one on my bag and squeeze it frequently on my way to work." Searching for these toys on Chinese social networking services (SNS) yields nearly one million posts.
The prices range from about 10 yuan (approximately 1,900 won) per piece to several hundred yuan. Some people spend thousands of yuan, even over 10,000 yuan, collecting these toys. However, all these toys are handmade, making mass production impossible. As a result, popular products with limited supply have seen prices soar from several hundred yuan to thousands of yuan in the secondhand market.
Jumulreok Toys May Cause Sore Throat, Headache, and Itching
However, Chinese netizens have raised safety concerns. At the end of last month, Chinese media Shenzhen News Network reported complaints from some Chinese netizens that a product purchased online by a child emitted a strong, nose-irritating smell. Shenzhen News Network added that when testing the concentration of formaldehyde, a carcinogen, in the air, it surged nearly 80 times within one minute.
Many bloggers and enthusiasts warned that the toys could cause sore throat, headaches, and skin itching. Some claimed to have coughed up blood and had white blood cell counts below normal. Additionally, the fact that many jumulreok toys are made by individual sellers, resulting in a lack of production information and quality certificates, has also been pointed out as a problem.
Experts recommend consumers regularly disinfect and wash their hands. Although the harmfulness has not been confirmed, similar Chinese-made products are also being sold popular on domestic online shopping malls such as Coupang and Naver Shopping. Searching for 'jumulreok toy,' 'mallang-i,' 'squishy,' or 'jjindeuk ball' yields tens of thousands of products. It is also possible to purchase directly through platforms like AliExpress.
'Carcinogen Controversy' Causes C-Commerce Platforms Temu and Ali to See 40% Drop in Sales Last Month
Meanwhile, sales of Chinese online shopping platforms (C-commerce) such as AliExpress and Temu, which have rapidly grown in the domestic market, dropped by more than 40% last month due to the 'carcinogen' controversy. On the 20th, BC Card analyzed payment data for C-commerce in April and found that sales decreased by 40.2% compared to March this year. When setting October last year as 100, C-commerce sales rapidly grew to 153.7 in January and 238.8 in March this year, but shrank to 142.9 in April.
The sharp decline in C-commerce sales is attributed to consecutive reports last month that carcinogens were detected in products purchased from Ali and Temu. On the 7th of last month, Incheon Main Customs announced that after analyzing the components of accessories sold on Ali and Temu, carcinogens exceeding the standard were detected in 96 out of 404 products (24%).
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