The "Newtro" trend—rediscovering products of the past with a fresh twist—is sweeping through the preferences of South Korea's younger generations, particularly the MZ generation (Millennials and Generation Z).

Despite being digital natives accustomed to smartphones and artificial intelligence (AI), 2030-somethings are increasingly embracing retro hobbies like shooting photos with compact digital cameras, keeping handwritten diaries, and knitting. Experts analyze that this surge in hands-on, analog experiences stems from a growing desire to escape the fast-paced digital environment and find slow-paced joy in everyday life.

Surging Popularity of Analog Hobbies

According to the fashion and lifestyle platform 29CM, transaction volumes for diaries and planners jumped by over 60% year-on-year from January to October. Purchases of stickers and book accessories used for decorating diaries also rose by 50% and 36%, respectively. Over the same period, search volumes for knitting yarn and knitting keywords more than doubled.

Capitalizing on this trend, 29CM has expanded its stationery lineup through its lifestyle select shop, "29CM Home." At the Seongsu flagship store (Store No. 1), over 100,000 stationery items were sold between January and August. A joint stationery pop-up store held in Seongsu-dong in September with the Japanese lifestyle brand Loft attracted over 10,000 visitors in just five days. Furthermore, an encore pop-up at 29CM Home Store No. 2 drove a tenfold increase in monthly sales compared to the previous month.

The Rise of "Diginori" and Camera Customization

"Diginori" (a blend of "digital camera" and "play")—the practice of shooting with standalone digital cameras instead of smartphones—is also booming. E-commerce platform Ably reported a 74% increase in digital camera transactions from January to September compared to the previous year.

In September alone, digital camera transactions rose 22% year-on-year, with shoppers under the age of 20 accounting for a staggering 63% of total buyers. "Dikku" (decorating digital cameras to match individual personalities) is equally popular: September transactions for camera pouches and cases surged by 534% and 119%, respectively, while sales of digital camera keyrings skyrocketed by a remarkable 3,779%.

This phenomenon is not confined to South Korea. According to the Camera and Imaging Products Association (CIPA) in Japan, global digital camera shipments last year reached 9,438,876 units, an 11.2% increase from the previous year. Notably, shipments of lens-integrated digital cameras grew by 29.6%, while mirrorless cameras rose 12.5% to 6,311,054 units.

Rental Services and Hotel Collaborations

Reflecting this high demand, new services have emerged to rent hard-to-find digital cameras affordably or bundle them with hotel stays. Lotte Hi-Mart operates a "Camera Daily Rental" service across six stores nationwide—including Jamsil and Seoul Station—offering camera rentals starting at around 10,000 won per day. Mirrorless cameras accounted for 60% of all camera rental demand from January to September. Meanwhile, the Grand 조선 Busan has partnered with Kodak to launch an exclusive room package featuring the compact digital camera "Chamera."

Why the Shift to Analog?

Experts attribute this trend to digital fatigue. In an environment flooded with short-form videos and endless content, young people are seeking hobbies they can enjoy at their own pace rather than frantically keeping up with fast-moving trends.

"Living in an era of rapid change where 'how things look' matters so much, people are getting exhausted by the sheer speed," said Lee Young-ae, a professor of Consumer Science at Incheon National University. "Amidst daily lives dominated by AI and digital technology, the hobbies of the younger generation are shifting toward avenues where they can escape that very environment."

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]