Choi Ye-jin, 20, a sophomore in college, has always embraced the latest fashion trends. However, these days, as she walks the streets and observes the way people dress, she can’t help but notice that people are indeed wearing flared pants again, which goes back a long time. long line of fashion trends up to the end of the 90s.
Choi, at first, assumed it was still out of fashion and found it rather odd that people were bringing back items from the past. However, over time, the professed retro style approached her as an unusual and effective means by which she could express herself.
“The retro style is a way to connect past and present,” Choi said.
After decades, with considerable transformations in the trends of wearing, looking at and consuming, the objects and products forgotten from the childhood of past generations are gradually returning to the mainstream market to be adored by the younger generations.
Take a look at the supposed vintage clothing sensation as the best example of the growing demand for nostalgia-infused older pieces. Preeminent in the late 90s, the so-called flared pants, or flared pants, were once the go-to item for the young, hip crowd. Korea was no exception to this phenomenon. From subway stations to schools, many of those who were fashionable wore their fair share of such clothes back then.
Many television programs have paved the way for retro clothing and clothing inspired by the past. With the nationwide success of the dance survival show “Street Woman Fighter”, which aired in 2021, department store Shinsegae announced that it has seen an increase in the popularity of street fashion brands in its apparel sectors, including a 61% growth in sales of streetwear clothing, which was primarily consumed by the younger population. The streetwear category included baggy jeans, oversized t-shirts and other soft items lapped up with major decades-old fashion trends, emphasizing the return of past sensations.
Along with the return of fashion trends, the treats and snacks enjoyed by older generations in the 90s have also seen a resurgence in popularity due to the retro revival.
“I feel like the Pokemon bread is an escape from reality,” said Lee Ji-youn, 46, recalling her memories of eating the snack when she was a teenager. “I go back to when I had no worries in high school.”
Pokemon
Pokemon bread was loved by many and was prevalent in the 90s. SPC Samlip, the maker of Pokemon bread, re-released the baking product earlier this year with the same stickers and bread as before. According to SPC Samlip, Pokemon Bread sales topped 10 million within 43 days of its relaunch.
Pokemon bread hasn’t been the only successful case of a retro comeback in 2022. The alleged “old but golden” enthusiasm has also touched popular culture. With a succession of retro-inspired pop cultures, such as TV shows, dramas and songs, antiquated forms of media are once again gaining popularity with the public.
For example, “Twenty-Five, Twenty-one” is a Korean TV show set in the late 90s. In the show, viewers can find various props from the distinct period, with a detailed description of the mode life of young people at the time. For example, the show’s protagonist and ambitious fencing player Na Hee-do listens to music with a walkman and cassette tape, a favorite music player that has inspired many listening gadgets in society. ‘today.
Additionally, products such as “bbibbi”, green payphone, and CD players appear on the show. For those who were there and active in the 90s, the drama “Twenty-Five, Twenty-one” immerses them in nostalgia, allowing them to reminisce about their memories and see how much everything has changed since then.
On the other hand, the drama tends to be full of surprises for those who haven’t lived through that era directly. As such, it presents the distinct viewpoints of different age groups.
“I remembered my high school life when I watched Twenty-Five, Twenty-One,” said Choe Hansel, 45. “I loved it because what Na Hee-do is doing in the drama is the same as what I did in high school, young and ambitious. I thought I could achieve anything in the world at that time. -the.
18-year-old high school student Oh Soo-min finds the drama touching and realistic. “Since I was born in 2004, I’ve been through what many call the digital generation,” Oh said. “So the human analog brings a warm embrace into the harsh digital age.”
BY JE GANG-HYUN, HONG HYE-SEO AND OH SANG-HOON [[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]]