The overlapping of life cycles is also straining household finances. In the past, old age was seen as a time when children would support their parents, but now many seniors find themselves financially supporting both their children and parents, even after reaching 65, the socially recognized “elderly age.” According to Statistics Korea’s Survey on the Status of the Elderly, only 0.9% of people aged 65 and older reported regularly providing financial support to their children in 2011.
--- p. 22

The most defining characteristic of Korean consumer culture is its preoccupation with others’ perceptions. This concern often drives individuals to purchase branded products, even at a higher cost, with a strong preference for luxury goods as the most extreme example. As noted earlier, there’s a tendency to compare and flaunt happiness, but under the #VOD trend, the focus is shifting inward and away from showing off to others.
--- p. 48

Additional decorations or options added to a basic product are often referred to as “toppings.” Pizza is the prime example - various toppings are added to a simple dough base to create the perfect flavor for each individual. While customers may have not felt so strongly about toppings in the past, they are now central to crafting one’s personal favorite item. In recognition of this shift, 2025 K-Consumer Trend Insights has coined the term “toppings economy” to describe how these secondary elements are gaining more attention and having a new economic impact. Toppings, which allow consumers to use products in flexible, personalized ways, are now crucial for enhancing customer satisfaction.
--- p. 63

In the age of generative AI, companies and products that engage with users in a ‘human-like’ manner, understanding and responding to emotions, will stand out. Amidst a competitive landscape brimming with new technologies, Face tech offers a significant edge by bringing technology closer to human interaction.
--- p. 83

The concept of harmlessness presents a paradox. While it suggests the absence of harm and implies minimal influence on others, it also embodies a certain power that can affect those around it. How can something deemed harmless possess such power? Harmlessness can be broken down into four elements: smallness, cuteness, innocence, and clumsiness. The ultimate embodiment of all these elements of harmlessness is a baby. Babies are small, cute, innocent, and often clumsy, disarming us completely when we encounter them.
--- p. 116

Imagine being asked this question alongside four job cards showing an Indian painter, an Asian chef, a Latino doctor, and a European farmer. How would you answer? The correct response is, “I don’t know.” This question is actually used as a teaching tool in multicultural education for elementary students. The approach to multicultural education has evolved, moving beyond simply acknowledging differences in appearance, to teaching that nationality should not be determined by looks at all. We are entering an era where being Korean cannot be defined by race alone - a phenomenon that can be termed “people gradation,” reflecting the shifting concept of the Korean people.
--- pp.129

Even Korean security capabilities are being exported. In September 2024, Guatemala opened a “Police Job Training Center” to learn from Korean expertise. The transfer of skills includes cyber investigation, forensic science investigation techniques, and Korea’s 112 emergency reporting system - a phenomenon some call the “Korean wave of security.”
--- p. 134

Today’s audiences aren’t content with just watching a movie - they want to touch, own, and experience the story. To meet these demands, the trend is to transfer the narrative from the screen to the real world. While goods and photo zones are standard, the key is to create experiences that make the movie’s world come alive. In today’s market, content must leap off the screen and into the audience’s hands to truly captivate and draw them in.
--- p.155

Rising temperatures are only part of the problem. Recent climate change is fundamentally altering the way we live and, perhaps most critically, is directly impacting the global economy. The yields of key crops like coffee, sugar, and cocoa have plummeted, leading to skyrocketing prices and the coining of the term “climate inflation.” In the restaurant industry, it’s becoming increasingly common for certain menu items to disappear due to the unstable supply of raw ingredients caused by sudden heavy rains.
--- p. 178

A natural ecosystem consists of a community of living organisms interacting with their environment, while a business ecosystem represents a market economy environment where multiple companies compete, cooperate, and converge. Much like in a biological ecosystem, participants in a business ecosystem must coevolve, depending on - yet competing with - each other for survival. This process ultimately creates a coevolutionary ecosystem that drives innovation in customer value.
--- p.203

Most members of Trenders Day are high-performing professionals, yet their primary worry revolves around career management and development. This isn’t merely about job performance, the desire to quit, or workplace difficulties. The crux of their concerns is a strong desire for self-improvement.