[Korea Social Trends Series] Part 2: Korea’s Consumption Trends – Subscription Economy, Secondhand Market, and Easy Payments

Korea is often described as a society that changes faster than almost any other in the world. From technology adoption to cultural fads, the country tends to move in waves that quickly reshape the daily lives of ordinary people. Among the clearest signs of this rapid transformation are the ways Koreans consume goods and services. In recent years, three trends have come to dominate the consumer landscape: the rise of the subscription economy, the explosion of the secondhand market, and the ubiquity of easy payment systems. For foreign readers, understanding these shifts provides valuable insight into how modern Korea functions on a practical, everyday level.

1. The Subscription Economy – Owning Less, Experiencing More
Not long ago, Korean households typically preferred to own durable goods outright, from cars to home appliances. Today, however, subscription services are becoming the norm. Companies now offer monthly plans not only for digital content like Netflix or music streaming but also for physical goods. It is increasingly common to find subscriptions for coffee, skincare products, even clothing. For instance, a young office worker in Seoul might pay a monthly fee to have freshly roasted coffee delivered to their office, or a parent may subscribe to a baby clothing rental service that adjusts to their child’s growth.
The appeal lies in convenience and flexibility. Many Koreans live in small apartments with limited storage, so owning fewer things is practical. Additionally, younger generations place greater emphasis on experiences rather than possessions, aligning with a global trend toward minimalism. Subscription gyms, coworking spaces, and car-sharing platforms like Socar or Kakao Mobility illustrate this shift. By paying monthly, people gain access without long-term burdens of ownership. This model also reflects Korea’s highly digital and mobile society, where making quick online payments for recurring services is seamless.

2. The Boom of the Secondhand Market – A Culture of Recycling and Bargain-Hunting
Perhaps even more striking is the explosive growth of the secondhand market, known locally as “중고거래” (jung-go-geo-rae). Once stigmatized as a last resort for those who could not afford new products, secondhand shopping has now become mainstream and even fashionable. Platforms like Danggeun Market (당근마켓, literally “Carrot Market”) and Bungaejangter (번개장터, or “Lightning Market”) have transformed the culture.
For example, a college student moving to Seoul might furnish their entire apartment with secondhand items purchased through these apps, from a bed frame to a rice cooker, often within a single day of browsing. These platforms rely on location-based services, connecting buyers and sellers in the same neighborhood to facilitate quick and convenient exchanges.
Why the change? Several factors converge. Economic pressures, particularly among younger Koreans facing high housing costs and limited job security, make secondhand goods an attractive option. Environmental awareness also plays a role, as consumers increasingly value recycling and reducing waste. Moreover, the social stigma of buying used items has declined sharply. On the contrary, it is now viewed as smart and eco-friendly. In fact, some influencers proudly show off their secondhand “finds” on social media, contributing to the trend’s popularity. By 2025, Korea’s secondhand market is estimated to surpass 30 trillion won, rivaling traditional retail segments.

3. Easy Payment Systems – A Cashless, Contactless Society
For anyone visiting Korea, one of the first things they notice is how rarely people use cash. Instead, easy payment systems dominate transactions. Services such as Kakao Pay, Naver Pay, Toss, and Samsung Pay allow consumers to complete purchases with a fingerprint, QR code, or simple phone tap. Even small vendors in traditional markets often display QR codes for mobile payments.
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this shift, but the infrastructure had already been in place for years. With a high smartphone penetration rate—over 95% of adults own one—digital payment platforms became natural extensions of social and financial life. For example, splitting a dinner bill among friends is now as simple as sending a few taps through KakaoTalk, Korea’s ubiquitous messaging app.
Easy payments have also expanded into public services and transportation. Subways, buses, taxis, and even vending machines accept mobile transactions, making it possible to live an entirely cashless life. For foreigners, this may be both impressive and intimidating: impressive for its efficiency, but intimidating because some services require a Korean ID number or local bank account to access. Nonetheless, Korea is now considered a global leader in digital payment innovation, often cited alongside China in its scale and sophistication.

4. Everyday Examples of Change
These three trends intersect in daily life in visible ways. Imagine a young professional in Seoul: she starts her morning with coffee delivered through a subscription plan, takes a car-sharing service to work via a mobile app, buys a secondhand laptop from a neighbor on Danggeun Market during lunch, and pays for everything through Kakao Pay. In the evening, she relaxes by watching a drama on a streaming subscription and orders groceries via a “subscription box” that arrives weekly. In less than a day, her lifestyle illustrates how consumption in Korea is increasingly digital, flexible, and community-based.
Another example is an older retiree. He might use Toss for secure pension payments, buy secondhand golf clubs at a fraction of the cost online, and subscribe to a meal kit delivery service to avoid cooking large meals. These habits show that the trends cut across generations, albeit with different motivations: convenience and novelty for the young, affordability and simplicity for the old.

5. How Does Korea Compare Globally?
Globally, subscription services and digital payments are expanding, but Korea stands out for the speed and saturation of adoption. In the United States, subscription services are widespread, but secondhand markets are often dominated by platforms like eBay or Craigslist, which lack the hyper-local immediacy of Korean apps. In Europe, cash remains more common in daily transactions compared to Korea’s near-total embrace of mobile payments. And while Japan has a thriving secondhand culture, it is often tied to niche hobbies such as vintage electronics or fashion, whereas Korea’s secondhand market now encompasses almost every product imaginable. For foreign readers, Korea offers a glimpse of what a fully digitized, community-driven consumer culture can look like.

6. Opportunities and Challenges Ahead
These consumption patterns create opportunities for businesses and policymakers. Subscription models provide steady revenue streams for companies while reducing consumer barriers to trying new products. Secondhand markets help address environmental concerns and create new business ecosystems around logistics and trust-building. Easy payment systems drive financial inclusion and efficiency. Yet challenges remain: subscription fatigue, fraud and scams in secondhand trading, and privacy risks in digital payments. For Korea, the task will be to balance innovation with consumer protection.

Editor’s Note
Korea’s consumption landscape is a vivid example of how technology and culture intertwine. The subscription economy reflects a shift toward convenience and flexibility, the secondhand boom shows a society adapting to economic pressures with creativity, and easy payments reveal how deeply digital infrastructure has penetrated daily life. Together, they paint a portrait of a country where innovation is not confined to labs or startups but is lived out in coffee orders, sofa sales, and subway rides. For outsiders, Korea’s example may feel like a preview of global consumption trends. The question is not whether these patterns will spread but how quickly, and in what form, they will reach other parts of the world.