Unlikely Seoul souvenir becomes next big trend on Japanese social media
Summary
A Seoul city cap has gone viral on Japanese social media after a post about the Seoul My Soul Belt Cap drew millions of views without paid promotion. Seoul said the attention has boosted interest in Korea and highlights how city-branded designs can spread beyond their intended market. The city also released its first Seoul Goods Top 10 ranking, based on international shoppers’ purchases this year.
Key Facts
- The Japanese post about the Seoul My Soul Belt Cap was uploaded on Sept. 7 and recorded 2.7 million views, 32,000 likes, 7,900 reposts and 9,300 bookmarks.
- The cap was released on Sept. 3 through a collaboration between Seoul’s SEOUL MY SOUL city brand and traditional fashion brand ONGO.
- Seoul’s first Seoul Goods Top 10 ranking was based on international shoppers’ purchases across online and offline sales channels this year.
- Consumers in their 20s and 30s formed the core customer base, and products featuring Seoul landmarks and city-focused designs drew the strongest interest from foreign visitors.
- At the Seoul Gallery shop at Seoul City Hall, more than 22 percent of visitors came from abroad, according to Kim Hyung-rae.
A Seoul My Soul and ONGO collaboration cap is drawing attention from Japanese social media users after a post featuring the cap recorded 2.7 million views / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government
A sleek cap featuring Seoul’s official logo has become an unlikely viral sensation in Japan, racking up millions of social media views and turning municipal merchandise into a sought-after fashion statement.
A Japanese user posted a photo of themselves wearing the Seoul My Soul Belt Cap on Sept. 7. The post recorded 2.7 million views, 32,000 likes, 7,900 reposts and 9,300 bookmarks without any paid advertising or promotions, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
The cap, released Sept. 3 through a collaboration between Seoul’s SEOUL MY SOUL city brand and traditional fashion brand ONGO, combines modern headwear with details inspired by Korean traditional knotwork.
Seoul said the post’s popularity in Japan has also generated interest in Korea, illustrating how products built around local designs can spread beyond their intended market through social media.
The city government on Wednesday released its first Seoul Goods Top 10 ranking based on international shoppers’ purchases across online and offline sales channels this year.
The analysis found that consumers in their 20s and 30s formed the core customer base, with products incorporating Seoul landmarks and distinctive city-focused designs drawing the strongest interest from foreign visitors.
At DDP Design Store, the Seoul Sticker Collection ranked first in combined online and offline sales, followed by postcards depicting Seoul’s historic gates and palaces.
Small goods priced below 10,000 won ($6.78) were among top-selling items, while a 99,000-won collaboration raincoat inspired by traditional Korean robes sold out quickly.
At six Seoul My Soul shops, character products featuring Haechi and Soul Friends, including figurines, magnets and ballpoint pens, were popular.
The Seoul Gallery shop at Seoul City Hall, which opened in February, saw more than 22 percent of its visitors coming from abroad,
Kim Hyung-rae, Seoul’s public relations planning officer, said international interest in the products showed that Seoul-focused designs have global appeal.
"The viral popularity of our cap on Japanese social media, coupled with international sales data, shows that Seoul-inspired design is a compelling cultural product in its own right," said Kim. "By expanding collaborations with small businesses, local designers and private brands, we will continue to release merchandise that captures the city's culture and narrative, transforming from a city souvenir into a brand that people around the world genuinely want to wear and own."
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
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