"NCT Wish's Item Sales Jump 300%"... Fifth-Generation Idols Are Reshaping Fashion [Trend Recipe]

[The Financial News] Fans who once listened to their favorite idols' music and collected photo cards are now following their off-duty fashion and even their lifestyles. The so-called "sonminsu" culture, in which fans buy the same clothes, accessories, beanies, and glasses, and even copy an idol's signature mood and taste, has become a trend among fifth-generation boy group fandoms.
What stands out most is casual fashion. Fans are actively copying easy-to-wear items such as beanies, glasses, silver accessories, and loose-fit hoodies.
According to industry sources on the 15th, NCT Wish's Riku has recently emerged as one of the most talked-about male idols for "sonminsu" fashion, thanks to his distinctive street-inspired off-duty style. His styling with a range of brand items has been fueling fans' desire to copy his look.


In particular, he has drawn strong reactions by mixing luxury labels with more accessible unisex designer brands. Leteri's "Blue Check Button Shirt," which Riku wore on March 21, helped drive Musinsa Store transaction value to more than triple during the week of March 21-27 compared with the previous week of March 14-20. NOT4NERD's "Dying Ember Slit Pullover Hoodie Gray," worn on April 28, also lifted Musinsa Store transaction value by more than 50% in the week after he wore it, compared with the previous week of April 21-27.
A Travis Scott brand item worn in late April also recorded 158 transactions and nearly 1,500 searches on Naver KREAM. A KREAM official said it was "among the top-selling items within the brand."
A Musinsa official said, "Idol fashion spreads quickly through social media and online communities, giving it strong influence in shaping trends." The official added, "More consumers are now buying the related products directly, which is helping not only to raise brand awareness but also to boost sales."


More recently, there has also been a rise in cases where emerging brands gain rapid attention after being worn by idols. One representative example is Paco Supply, a brand sold exclusively on Naver KREAM. Although it is still relatively unfamiliar to the public, it has recently been cited as a case where brand awareness surged after being worn by fifth-generation idols.
NCT Wish's Yushi drew attention with the "Siren Scandal Zip Up Hoodie Ivory," whose waffle texture and loose silhouette sparked buzz. Hearts2Hearts' Jiwoo also helped spread the "Falling Angel Zip-Up Hoodie Black" quickly across social media and online communities. Among fans, reactions such as "I want to buy it too" have continued, and the items are increasingly being seen as classic "sonminsu" picks.
A KREAM official said, "Paco Supply has recently become a hot topic because many idols have been wearing it." The official added, "Some products have sold out in the brand section on KREAM, and there are items with as many as 17,000 saves. Cases in which brand awareness rises sharply after idols wear the products are continuing to repeat."

Copying the clothes of a favorite idol member goes beyond simply buying the same product. It is more about experiencing the feeling of being connected to that idol. The act of wearing the same item itself is consumed almost like a form of fan activity.
In today's fandom culture, the sense of "sharing taste" is becoming just as important as simple consumption. Not only the brands idols wear, but also the music they listen to, the cameras they use, and the places they like to visit are being consumed as part of a shared taste code. The feeling of "liking what the person I like likes" has itself become part of fandom culture.
For that reason, the current "sonminsu" trend is being seen less as simple imitation and more as a way of naturally blending idol-inspired sensibilities into one's own style. The fact that many fifth-generation male idols now favor realistic off-duty looks with a streetwear edge, rather than fully high-fashion styling, also fits this trend.
A KREAM official said, "We are seeing consumption expand beyond simply listening to music or watching content, as fans try to directly experience an idol's fashion sense and lifestyle." The official added, "For brands with strong scarcity, such as Chrome Hearts and Travis Scott, demand concentrates on finding hard-to-get items through KREAM after idols wear them. New brands like Paco Supply are also quickly drawing attention."
clean@fnnews.com Lee Jeong-hwa Reporter