'Kidult' tribe gains momentum

/ Yonhap

By Rachel Lee

The "Kidult" tribe is not just toying around, its membership is growing.

Kidult, a combination of kid and adult, indicates people who are nostalgic about their childhood and have made a habit of collecting vintage toys.

According to online retailer Auction, sales of film-character toys and plastic models were up 156 percent in the first six months of this year from the same period last year.

The 40-something group was the biggest buyer, taking up 43 percent, followed by those in their 30s and 20s with 42 and 7 percent, respectively. Consumers in their 30s and 40s made up 85 percent of total sales, the company said.

Sales of drone toys were up 911 percent in the past month from last year.

“The ‘Kidult’ tribe has gone a step further,” a company spokesperson said. “They’ve organized clubs where collectors meet up regularly and enjoy playing with drone toys together instead of staying home assembling robots themselves.”