Quirky Korean lifestyle goods
To most people, giant AirPods and boyfriend-shaped cushions aren’t necessities. But sometimes, it doesn’t hurt to spend some cash on things that will not only put a smile on your face, but also be of use to you. We’ve compiled a list of 9 quirky Korean lifestyle goods that are surprisingly useful.
1. UFO Hula Hoop
Image credit: Coupang
This UFO Hula Hoop looks like something out of a sci-fi film, but don’t be afraid. Unlike a regular hula hoop, this contraption fastens securely around your waist, and you’re meant to swing the attached weight around the hoop.
Image adapted from: @ha_ha_market_
As the weight revolves around your waist – and the hula hoop – spring-powered nodes will massage your abdomen and lower back.
Image adapted from: Coupang and Coupang
The adjustable UFO Hula Hoop is made of 24 detachable joints, and you can customise the circumference of the hoop according to your waist size.
Not only does it massage your waist, but this strange-looking hula hoop will also help tone your body – you’ve got to use your abdomen, lower back, and hips in order to swing the weight around.
2. Muscle boyfriend cushion
Image credit: 다온 감성창고
There’s no need to feel lonely and miss out on cuddling with a significant other when you can get your hands on this spiffy muscle boyfriend cushion. Owning this cushion is like owning your very own K-drama oppa, complete with drool-worthy abs. This cushion will never give you up, let you down, or desert you.
Image adapted from: 다온 감성창고 and 다온 감성창고
Image credit: 다온 감성창고
This multi-functional cushion allows you to lie on it, hug it, squish it – anything you want. The hands of the cushion feature velcro strips, which means you can fasten them together and wrap its hands around you.
Image credit: 다온 감성창고
The boyfriend cushion also works great as a punching bag for days when you need to blow off some steam, which is something you can’t – and shouldn’t – do with an actual human being.
3. Friendly critter catcher
Image credit: Bazio
If you hate creepy crawlies but can’t bring yourself to squash them, this item is perfect for you. This friendly critter catcher, with its soft bristles, does a great job of trapping insects without harming them.
Image credit: Bazio
The critter catcher measures 65cm long, which means you can catch insects without having to go too near them.
Image credit: Bazio
And once you’re done catching said creepy crawlies, you can carefully release them back into the wild.
4. Portable stove table
Image credit: Wadiz
In Korea, most BBQ restaurants don’t serve single portions, which is annoying for diners who want to enjoy some grilled meat by themselves. And that’s where this mini table stove will come in handy – it allows you to honbap (have a meal by yourself) and indulge in K-BBQ in the comfort of your home.
Image credit: Wadiz
You don’t have to worry about a tangled mess of wires coiling around the table legs as the stove is powered by butane gas, and you can easily get canisters of it online. The table measures 60cm X 60cm and can be easily stored out of sight as the table legs are foldable.
Besides having barbecued meat, you can also use the stove table to cook instant noodles or anything that fits into a small pot.
5. LED beauty mirror fan
Image credit: 린더스위스
This 2-in-1 LED beauty mirror fan is a must-have for anyone who has to put on makeup in hot weather. The LED ring light lights your visage evenly, while the fan prevents sweat from ruining your makeup.
Image adapted from: @one_home_life
There are 2 touch buttons on the mirror – one to control the ring light and another to control the fan speed. The mirror can also swivel 180°.
Image adapted from: @one_home_life
On hot days, the mirror can also double as a personal table fan.
6. Teddy bear socks
Image credit: 10×10
These 80cm-long teddy bear socks are a lifesaver for anyone who hates the feeling of the cold hitting their toes while they sleep. The socks are thigh-high so cold air will have to travel a long way to reach your toes – there’s a high chance it won’t.
Image credit: 10×10
The socks have an adjustable toe opening so you don’t have to take them off completely when you inevitably have to go to the toilet in the middle of the night – there’s nothing quite like the horror of stepping on a wet patch when you’re wearing socks. And when it gets too hot, you can also slip your toes out for a while to cool down.
7. AirPods speaker
Image credit: @gmarketstory
This one is for people who find themselves losing AirPods due to their small size. Kim Namjoon, we’re talking about you. The AirPods speaker looks just like regular AirPods at first glance, except it’s about 20 times bigger in size.
Image credit: @gmarketstory
The only downside is that it’s not a Bluetooth speaker and you’ll need to store your music in a memory card. Nevertheless, it’ll definitely give your friends a good laugh when you pull this mega-sized AirPods speaker out of your bag.
Image credit: @i_jee_you
It’s also a perfect troll gift for the friend who has always wanted a pair of AirPods.
8. Sequinned face cushions
Image credit: @dy._.9
Sequinned face cushions are one of those things you don’t know whether to laugh or cry at. And apparently, it’s been a hit with Koreans – celebrities such as Ahn Bo-hyun and Jo Se-ho have been seen with these custom-printed cushions bearing their mien.
Image credit: idus
The face cushion became popular after it was featured on MBC’s I Live Alone.
Image credit: @sin_soyoung_96
These sequinned cushions look normal – albeit flashy – at first glance, until you run a hand across it. This will reveal what’s printed on the other side of the sequins. Owning such a cushion will rid boredom at home as you’ll be self-entertained by the many variations of patterns you can create with a swipe of your hand.
9. Kiss cup lid
Image credit: Behance
Even in times of social distancing, you can still get kisses whenever you like. These kiss cup lids combine the goodness of coffee and kisses, literally giving you a coffee kiss.
Image credit: Behance
The kiss coffee cup lids were designed by Korean designer Jang Woo-seok, who drew inspiration from Greek statues. The coffee lid only had lips at first, but a nose was later added in to give users a more realistic kissing experience.
Image credit: @yeah_jangdy
Many online shops have co-opted the kiss cup design, and now, there are even ceramic versions so that you don’t have to stop at one kiss. How eco-friendly!
Quirky Korean lifestyle goods you can find online
Korea certainly does a great job when coming up with items that are just as useful as they are quirky. Even if you don’t actually buy any of them, window shopping and browsing through these strangely useful items will give you a few good laughs.
Check out other K-culture articles:
- Newtro trends in Korea
- Photos of Seoul then & now
- Popular Korean slang in 2020
- K-drama-inspired men’s fashion
- Chuseok foods
Cover image adapted from (clockwise from left): @gmarketstory, 10×10 and 다온 감성창고
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