"If Wonyoung Does It, I Do It Too"... MZ Generation Swept Up in 'Ditto Consumption' [Trend Recipe]

[Financial News] The recent buzz around the Japanese Netflix dating show "Bad Romance" has sparked a craze for "gyaru" makeup, a style rooted in Japanese Y2K fashion, in Korea. Female cast members on the show highlight their aegyosal (under-eye area), dramatically curl their eyelashes, and use bold eyeliner and strong contouring to make their features stand out. As the show gained popularity domestically, gyaru fashion rose as a trend alongside it.
According to industry sources on the 16th, this kind of "gyaru styling" has been adopted by well-known Korean celebrities and has drawn broad public attention. Entertainer Mijoo posted a video of herself strutting through Hongdae in a gyaru-inspired outfit, while IVE’s Rei transformed her image with gyaru-style makeup that contrasted sharply with her usual cute concept. After that, on YouTube and Instagram, videos and posts of their fans copying gyaru fashion spread rapidly.
This pattern of consuming by following the tastes and choices of a favorite person is called "ditto consumption." It is not simply about chasing whatever is trendy at the moment. Rather, it is driven by the feeling of, "Because my ultimate favorite chose it, I want to experience it too." Recently, this behavior has expanded beyond fashion and beauty into the food sector as well.
A prime example is the Dubai Chewy Cookie craze, nicknamed "Dujjonku," which has swept the country over the past few months. This dessert wraps Middle Eastern-style kataifi pastry and pistachio filling in a marshmallow-like coating. It went viral after celebrities such as IVE’s Jang Won-young shared their tasting experiences with fans, rapidly accelerating the trend.

A similar phenomenon appears in keyring accessory purchases, which have become a "must-have" among the MZ generation. Last year, Korean celebrities including Jang Won-young were frequently spotted with SKULLPANDA and Labubu keyrings hanging from their bags. As a result, Pop Mart, which owns the intellectual property (IP) for these characters, saw its global sales in the first half of 2025 jump by about 200% year-on-year.
In this way, today’s consumption trends respond more strongly to "who chose it first" than to the product’s inherent features. A single candid photo of a celebrity posted on social media can move search volumes and sales figures for related items. Targeting this kind of "ditto consumption" psychology has therefore emerged as an effective marketing strategy.
An industry insider said, "Ditto consumption is driven by the fact that the choice was made by someone whose taste aligns with mine, or whom I admire," adding, "Relationships and a sense of empathy are becoming key criteria in consumers’ purchasing decisions."
localplace@fnnews.com Kim Hyun-ji Reporter