Prices 10 Times Higher and Even Theft... Tumblers, Shoes, Keyrings, MZ Generation Decorates Everything [Youth Report]

'Teomkku' Culture Popular in the US
The Origin of Teomkku is Stanley
Along with Teomkku, Dakku, Phonku, and Shinkku Trends

Among young people, the so-called 'Tumkku'?decorating tumblers following shoes and diaries?is gaining attention. Originally a culture popular in the United States, it has recently become a hot topic centered around YouTubers and influencers, gradually gaining popularity in Korea as well. Analysts suggest that this custom culture is related to the tendency of young people to value individuality and trendiness.

Straw Caps and Keyrings as I Like... MZ Generation Embracing 'Tumkku'

A TikToker is showing how to decorate a tumbler.
[Image source=TikTok]

The brand that started Tumkku is Stanley. Stanley is a camping equipment manufacturer established in 1913. Especially, Stanley tumblers released by the brand have gained great popularity both domestically and internationally. Last year, a video went viral on TikTok showing a Stanley tumbler with ice inside found in a vehicle completely burned down by fire, and Stanley's sales soared more than tenfold in four years. In California, USA, there was even an incident where a woman stole 65 Stanley tumblers and fled.

American teenagers began to cover or stick stickers on their hard-to-get Stanley tumblers to prevent the paint from peeling off. This can be seen as the origin of Tumkku. Also, rather than carrying around the same mass-produced products as others, the desire to customize items as they wish and show off their own individuality grew, spreading the trend of 'Stanley decorating' on social networking services (SNS). Currently, related products for tumblers are being released one after another in Korea as well. Examples include tumbler handle straps, straw caps, and keyrings.

Kim Gi-won (28), an office worker who recently purchased a Stanley straw cap, said, "Before putting on the straw cap, I was worried that dust might get inside the tumbler, but after putting on the cap, it feels hygienic because dust doesn't get in." He added, "Also, just with one cap, it feels like I decorated the tumbler, and I liked that it became a product different from others."

A YouTuber with 350,000 subscribers introduced various items such as Stanley carrier bags, Stanley snack bowls, and silicone straw lids in a video titled 'Stanley Decorating,' saying, "If you search with keywords like tumbler accessories or Stanley accessories on Temu, you can find a variety of items."

[Image source=TikTok]

Diary Decorating, Phone Decorating, Shoe Decorating... The 'Byuldakku' Generation

[Image source=Ably]

Previously, along with Tumkku, diary decorating (Dakku), phone decorating (Ponkku), and shoe decorating (Sinkku) also became hot topics. Sinkku involves decorating shoes with various materials such as pearl ornaments, beads, and lace-trimmed laces. As this trend became popular, sales of related products also increased. Online fashion mall Abley announced that in April, the transaction amount for shoelaces increased by 95% compared to the same period last year. Shoe keyrings, which decorate shoelaces with keyrings, have rapidly increased in purchases this year, with the transaction amount in April growing nearly 50 times (4890%) compared to the previous month.

The comfortable-to-wear 'Crocs,' which gained popularity through word of mouth, also became popular among people in their 20s and 30s thanks to the Sinkku trend. Crocs are sandals with multiple holes on the instep, where accessories called 'Jibbitz charms' can be inserted to customize according to individuality.

This 'Byuldakku' (decorating everything) culture appears to be a phenomenon arising from the combination of young people's emphasis on self-expression and the high inflation situation. The MZ generation values diverse experiences and is proactive in expressing their individuality. Because of this, their desire to customize mass-produced products into their own items is stronger than other generations. Also, in an era of high prices, rather than buying new items directly, they express their individuality by repairing items, such as adding stickers over scratched parts.