1 Haven’t Keyrings Had Their Moment?

In today’s urban landscape, the humble keyring has evolved from mere utility to a ubiquitous accessory. On subway commutes and in cafés and libraries across Seoul, one need only glance around to spot bags adorned with diminutive plush characters and whimsical trinkets. While some might dismiss keyrings as ‘a passing trend,’ the phenomenon continues to evolve in fascinating ways. Let’s trace its trajectory:

1) Character Keyrings

Remember the Pengsoo phenomenon? Initially conceived for children, this penguin character unexpectedly captured the hearts of adults nationwide. In its wake came a parade of beloved characters: Zanmang Loopy, Gosimperson, Yurang, and Maru is a Puppy, among others. As these 2D characters gained traction, they evolved into 3D content and spawned robust intellectual properties, launching an array of physical merchandise—with keyrings leading the charge. The miniature charm movement gained momentum precisely at this confluence of character cultivation and consumer connection.

2) Premium Keyrings

The market soon welcomed new faces designed explicitly for the keyring medium. Premium offerings like Monamhee’s Beulpingi, Margesherwood’s Wood, and Myomyeong’s Myomyeong—priced between 40,000 and 60,000 won—began capturing consumer attention. When celebrities were spotted sporting these accessories, they triggered inventory shortages. Enthusiasts lined up at pop-up stores in the early hours, while online releases sold out instantaneously, demonstrating unprecedented demand.

3) Custom Keyrings

The next wave brought ‘custom keyrings’ to the fore. In response to premium pricing pressures and a growing desire for personalization, the ‘Moru Doll Keyring’ emerged as a democratic alternative. Starting at just 500 won, these wire-and-fur creations could be easily shaped into figurines and embellished with chosen accessories. Their primary appeal lies in creating ‘truly unique pieces’ at accessible price points. One-day classes and tutorial videos democratized the craft, inspiring widespread participation.


4) Keyring Collections

The trend reached its zenith this year with the ‘keyring collection’ movement. A maximalist aesthetic swept through the keyring fandom, with enthusiasts sporting ten or more pieces in a single bag. This extravagant display found its iconic representative in Sakuya, a member of the idol group NCT WISH.

Rivaling the number of keyrings in their bags, these collections represent the current pinnacle of keyring trends. Let’s delve deeper into the stories of the fandom behind this phenomenon.

2 The Age of “The Cuter, The Better”

Do people really carry this many keyrings? To find out, we conducted mini-interviews with five keyring enthusiasts in their twenties, asking them to photograph their daily bags. The results were both intriguing and endearing.

The collections revealed diverse curatorial approaches: some organized characters by type, and others carried different versions of a beloved single character. But what drives this multiplication of miniatures? We probed deeper for answers.

“It’s simple—the more, the cuter. There’s no such thing as too many cute keyrings.”
“Loading up my bag with keyrings makes it feel more special, more uniquely mine.”
“There’s no profound reason—I just kept buying them, and now they’re part of my daily ensemble.”
“Having my favorite things clustered together brings me joy. I even coordinate different keyring sets with different bags.”

The devotees appeared to derive dual satisfaction from expressing personal taste while carrying tokens of joy throughout the day.

Remember this summer’s custom yogurt ice cream craze? The ability to select toppings and create personalized combinations drove its popularity. “Trend Korea 2025” defines this as the “Topping Economy”—a phenomenon where modular additions allow consumers to create optimal combinations, prioritizing personal interpretation over pre-packaged perfection. The “DDD” (decorating, decorating, and decorating some more) trend of adorning bags with keyrings follows this same pattern.

Another critical concept from “Trend Korea 2025” is “harmless power”—an era celebrating small, cute, or even awkward but pure things. This trend emerges as a reaction to the economic downturn, sociopolitical tensions, and pandemic fatigue, manifesting in the pursuit of innocuous pleasures like gacha shop miniatures or casually drawn emoticons.

The ‘keyring collection’ trend thus represents a convergence of the Topping Economy’s personalization and this gravitation toward cute, ‘harmless’ expressions.

3 Brand Keyring Marketing

How are brands leveraging this trend? Over the past two years, many have incorporated keyrings as Gift-with-Purchase (GWP) items, either collaborating with famous characters or creating limited-edition pieces that embody their brand identity.

Our brand, eSpoir, has its own keyring success story. In July last year, we introduced HAPP, a character keyring complete with MBTI personality type and hobbies—details that resonated deeply with customers. Its simple black fur design inspired customers to customize their HAPPs, sharing their “HAPP-decorating” adventures online. Reviews often mentioned, “HAPP was so cute, I bought an eSpoir cushion after ages,” or “I’d never tried eSpoir’s matte cushion before, but the keyring drew me in.” The keyring effectively served as a bridge, reconnecting with former customers and attracting new ones.

This November, alongside our plumping line “Plumpies,” we introduced JOE, HAPP’s friend. JOE is compact enough for bags or phones and features plump lips complementing our plumping products. More colorful than HAPP, JOE comes in varying colors like gacha toys, leading to endearing reviews about customers’ careful color selection process.

While HAPP keyrings are no longer available, eSpoir continues featuring HAPP and JOE in content to maintain a connected universe for customers. By presenting these characters as inhabitants of the same planet, we’ve enhanced brand keyring affinity and storytelling appeal. We’ve even seen meaningful feedback like, “Having HAPP made me want to adopt JOE too.”

4 Keyring Trend 4.0

The keyring fandom’s devotion to these tiny figurines is anything but diminutive. These miniature accessories serve as robust bridges connecting customers to characters and, ultimately, to brands. As consumers continue to find allure and value in the keyring category, the time has come to contemplate marketing strategies aligned with Keyring Trend 4.0.
On your evening commute today, take a moment to observe the bags of passersby. Dangling from them, regardless of the carrier’s age or gender, you’ll find these charming hints of individual taste—slight but telling expressions of personal identity.

Thank you for your continued support of the Fandom Marketing column series.😊