K-luxury resale booms: Bunjang’s 2025 data shows 52% growth

Bunjang's 2025 K-Luxury Secondhand Report / Courtesy of Bunjang

The luxury resale market is entering a new phase of maturity, evolving from simple secondhand trading into a liquid luxury marketplace, according to a new report by Bungaejangter, a local secondhand marketplace also known as Bunjang.

The company released its 2025 K-Luxury Secondhand Report on Tuesday, analyzing last year’s luxury goods transactions on the platform.

The data showed a 52 percent jump in total luxury goods transactions year-over-year and 39 million newly listed items last year, signaling structural growth rather than a short-term trend.

Change in consumer perception is a key driver as people increasingly see luxury goods as liquid assets that can be readily converted into cash rather than just as consumables.

That shift is reflected in transaction speed. Bulgari’s B.Zero1 white gold necklace was the fastest-traded luxury item, selling about 53 seconds after its listing, while the second-fastest, a Saint Laurent shoulder bag, sold in about 70 seconds.

High-value trades also soared, powered by Bunjang’s proprietary authentication solution Corelytics. The platform’s priciest item of the year was a Rolex GMT-Master II, which was sold for 51.5 million won ($34,500), while the Hermes Kelly mini and Birkin 25 bags followed closely at 31.2 million won and 29.2 million won, respectively.

Jewelry emerged as a standout category, with transaction value surging 381 percent year-over-year as gold and gemstone prices rose globally, with a 384 percent jump in transaction volume.

The report showed that the market is also expanding globally. North America dominated the overseas transaction volume, accounting for 51.7 percent, with the United States being the largest destination for Korean luxury resale exports. High-ticket items, such as the Louis Vuitton trunk, and premium streetwear, such as Visvim jackets, saw strong demand abroad.

“Luxury re-commerce is no longer just an alternative way to shop, but a strategic asset management tool for a savvy generation looking to maximize the value of what they own,” a company official said. “Bunjang will continue to set a new standard for the re-commerce ecosystem by using its trust infrastructure to ensure that products circulate and retain their value seamlessly across borders.”