Japan's yen drop fuels surge in K‑pop merchandise and other goods via cross‑border e‑commerce

A sharp decline in the yen to about 800 won per 100 yen has spurred a wave of Japanese direct purchases by South Korean consumers. From July 1 to July 27, the number of cross‑border orders through the Moltail platform rose 20.1 % compared with the same period last year.

In the first quarter of 2024, online shopping for Japanese products reached a record 1.705 trillion won, up 20.4 % year‑on‑year. The biggest growth categories were clothing and fashion (up 18.7 % to 562 billion won) and food‑beverage items such as sochu and sake (up 18.3 %). Notably, K‑pop fan‑club exclusive goods from groups NCT and 2PM entered the top‑selling ranks for the first time, reflecting strong demand for Japan‑only merchandise. A Moltail representative said, “The recent yen weakening has increased interest in Japanese direct purchases,” while an industry observer added that the lower currency cost also boosts travel‑related buying.