NCT Wish albums available for purchase on cross-border shopping platform Malltail [Malltail website]
NCT Wish albums available for purchase on cross-border shopping platform Malltail [Malltail website]

Cross-border shopping from Japan is picking up as the won-yen exchange rate drops into the 800-won range, making Japanese goods more price-competitive. K-pop idol merchandise that is hard to find in South Korea has proved particularly popular.

Direct purchases from Japan on cross-border shopping platform Malltail rose 20.1 percent year-on-year from July 1 through Tuesday. The won-yen fiscal exchange rate fell to the 800-won-per-100-yen level this month for the first time in one year and eight months, amplifying the weak-yen effect.

Top-selling items included Japanese liquor such as shochu and sake, as well as Japan fan-club exclusive merchandise for K-pop idol groups including NCT and 2PM. The appearance of K-pop goods in the top rankings is unusual.

Clothing and accessories from Japanese fashion brands also drew strong interest from cross-border shoppers. Select-shop labels such as BEAMS and FREAKS STORE, along with collaborative products from brands including EDIFICE, were among the most sought-after items.

"Interest in direct purchases from Japan has grown recently thanks to the weak yen," a Malltail official said. "In particular, fans of K-pop groups have increasingly been buying Japan-exclusive merchandise or Japanese magazines featuring their favorite artists as collector's items."

Direct purchases from Japan through online shopping totaled 170.5 billion won ($116 million) in the first quarter of this year, up 20.4 percent from the same period a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Statistics. That marks the highest quarterly figure on record.

By category, clothing and fashion led all segments at 56.2 billion won, up 18.7 percent year-on-year. Food and beverages ranked second at 35.1 billion won, a gain of 18.3 percent. Children's and infant products jumped 61.3 percent, from 7.7 billion won to 12.5 billion won. Sporting and leisure goods rose 32.2 percent, while cosmetics climbed 25.6 percent.

"The easing exchange-rate burden is stimulating not only direct purchases from Japan but also travel demand," an industry official said. "There are likely more cases of people repurchasing items they first bought while traveling in Japan."


spa@heraldcorp.com