However, a recession does not necessarily translate to a decline in overall consumption. Instead, the luxury market trends to grow and not just because income disparities are widening. This is because demand for so-called “small luxury” items, products that create new demand, remain strong even during recessions. Therefore, even amid a recession, new growth opportunities can be found if the market is viewed through a detailed breakdown by consumer segment, rather than from a broader perspective. 2023 is said to be a year of recession, but there have been significant changes over the past few years. There have been rapid technological advances, and new apps, virtual worlds, remote work, and the digital economy have all developed significantly. Moreover, a generational change is taking place with the main consumer group now moving towards Generation MZ. Thus, the key is to anticipate what kind of new trends will arise when these ongoing changes collide with the cyclical economic downturn.
--- p.13~14

This trend is not just evident in personal life. The standard of good products, mainstream opinions, and what constitutes as “normal,” which until now has been expressed as an average value, is on shaky ground. People instead gravitate toward extremely unique products and are split by strong opinions on both ends o the spectrum. As the distinction between what is normal and abnormal is starting to become accepted as being “different” rather than “wrong,” and as the world starts to view and value diversity more positively, the idea of something being normal and average is gradually losing its place. In Consumer Trend Insights 2023, we will call the phenomenon of the disappearance of the “normal” standard that has been widely accepted in the market and society, as well as in the lives and values of individuals, as the “Disappearing Average” trend.
--- p.27~28

As the world becomes increasingly connected, the phenomenon of unipolarity sometimes appears in the form of a mania. As information spreads instantly, the strength and speed of a fad or trend becomes stronger and spreads faster. When considering the release of a movie in the past, there was a time difference in release dates between countries, so the box office performance in other countries played an important role in garnering attention for the film. Now, movies are released simultaneously through video streaming platforms and the global content rankings are updated in real time and announced daily. Content that tops these global rankings acts as a powerful magnet that makes people want to watch it too.
--- p.49

With quitters on the rise, the job search platform market is booming. Remote coaching services catering to employees planning their exit from the workplace are also on the rise. Business card management app Remember is operating a career recruitment and job search called “Remember Career,” and job platform companies such as Job Planet also provide a recruiting service that offers job changes proposals if users upload their resumes. The IT industry is actively operating an internal referral system that compensates employees who have recommended talent. The retention rate of new employees who have recommended talent. The retention rate of new employees is higher if they are recommended by employees who are familiar with the internal workings of the organization, according to a human resources manager in the IT industry. People who don’t plan to stay in the company for a long time don’t like promotions. At Hyundai Motor Group there is even an internal term, “jingeoja(진거자),” that is used to refer to employees that refuse promotion to become managers.
--- p.63

Some will view the emergence of Cherry-sumers as a temporary change while consumers cope with an economic downturn. But given the ongoing trend in managing consumption amid the growing number of single-person households, it is likely to be a trend that will continue even once the economy bounces back in the future. So, how should companies adapt to Cherry-sumerism? If companies used to view Cherry-sumers as a small group of consumers trying to cut corners amid a recession, they will now need to upend that stereotype. It would also be a mistake to classify them as “black consumers from hell” just looking for freebies, or to overlook them as consumers only looking for quick deals. At the same time, overdoing discounts is not the answer either. As the number of Cherry-sumers who want smaller portions and more flexible spending options increases, it is time to devise an appropriate strategy to match.
--- p.101~102

Compared with the past, defining a “close relationship” is now much more complicated. Data from a Gen Z relationship analysis workshop conducted by Seoul National University’s Consumer Trend Analysis Center found that Gen Zers classified relationships in which they share their study sessions with a study buddy in real time over Zoom, and other online relationships conducted mainly through social media, as being closer relationships than those with friends they met once or twice a year in an offline setting. Offline relationships no longer take precedence over their online counterparts. How did this result come to be? The reason is that the criteria by which people determine the closeness of relationships has become more complex compared with the past.
--- p.116

Creative thinking is required to come up with a new product that can attract consumers. Companies have to intentionally deviate from the norm, make new attempts as much as possible, dig deep into consumer tastes, and be armed with a fresh and open mindset. In order to do that, companies must redefine their technology and offer consumers the excitement of the unexpected. Yet even then, if this creative thinking process is not based on a consumer-oriented point of view, it is difficult to succeed in the market. Sony’s Betamax video format, which featured advanced technology at the time but still failed to create demand and set a new standard in the market, or 3D TV, which despite huge marketing efforts did not survive because consumers were uncomfortable wearing special glasses, are representative examples.
--- p.161~162

Now, for Gen Alpha, the concept of having the highest grades in the whole school or being that one stellar umchina, doesn’t work like it used to. Rather, those high achievers tend to be less popular. Instead, being good in just one field, be it running or badminton or something of the like, is enough to gain recognition. Gen Alpha accepts that giving up hope because of poor grades, the new generation just acknowledges their differences and does the best they can in their own areas. However. due to increased self-centeredness, they are also a generation that believes they are each the most important person in the world. That underlies Gen Alpha’s belief that “each and every one of us is a celebrity.”
--- p.194

In Korean society, living younger than one’s actual age is becoming a virtue. “You look so young” is considered a much bigger compliment than “you look great.” Kidults, who obsess over collecting children’s toys, had until now been regards as a minority group of extreme fans with far from mainstream tasted. The perception of kidults has since been changing, shifting more towads awe and admiration. Now, adults do not confine themselves to fit within the traditional stereotype of how adults should look or act, but value pursuing happiness in their own way.