Need help with the best gift to buy for a K-pop addict?
Buying gifts for K-pop fans can be extremely overwhelming. With tens of thousands of items to choose from. Albums, photocards, lightsticks, clothing… where on earth do you start?
Here’s the good news:
Shopping for K-pop fans is not as difficult as you think. With some simple tips, you will be able to find a gift that makes them scream like they just got themselves a VIP booth at a BTS concert.
Gift Categories What’s Inside
- What Do K-Pop Fans Want
- The Gift Categories That Will Always Satisfy
- Choosing The Best Item
- Common Gift-Giving Mistakes
- Budget-Friendly Gift Options
What Do K-Pop Fans Want
K-pop fans are special.
According to Luminate’s music industry report, Gen Z K-pop fans spend 2.4 more times on music-related goods than the average music listener does. In a nutshell, those are the amounts of money those fans put into their collections.
The question is… what does that mean for gifting?
The answer is simple. K-pop fans are collectors. They’re enthusiasts. They’re investors. They want items that strengthen their connection with their favourite artist.
The best places for K-pop merchandise would be stores that can provide you with authentic items that fans are actually looking for. For example, an excellent bts merch store is packed with everything from official albums to exclusive goods that the most serious fanboys and fangirls are dying to get.
Kawaii, right?
Let’s get into the details now and discuss the gift categories that are always popular among fans.
The Gift Categories That Will Always Satisfy
Not all gifts are the same.
The truth is, while some items will get the “thank you” you’d expect from anyone else, some gifts from this K-pop merchandise store will cause serious excitement.
The following categories never fail:
Albums and Photocards
Physical albums are still very popular in the K-pop world. Unlike in Western culture, physical K-pop albums almost always come with some free gifts. Photobooks, posters, stickers and the one and only… photocards.
Photocards are collectible small-sized photos of individual members of a group. Fans trade, collect and display photocards. They also see these cards as something very, very precious.
It is important to know which version of an album a fan already has before buying one for them. Most K-pop groups release their albums in multiple versions that have different photo card concepts.
Lightsticks
Every K-pop group worth its salt has an official lightstick.
These aren’t simple torches or glowsticks that you buy in your local drugstore. K-pop lightsticks are Bluetooth connected devices that are synced with concert lights.
Lightsticks are the gifts of choice for fans who attend many live performances and livestreams of their K-pop idols. In many cases, the lightstick also serves as a showcase item that the fans display on their desks or shelves at home.
Fans of some groups like to keep their lightsticks on display all the time. The lightsticks themselves are incredibly gorgeous and aesthetically pleasing.
Some lightsticks have even become cultural icons in their own right.
ARMY Bomb for BTS. Candy Bong for TWICE. This is serious stuff.
The one major drawback… make sure that you buy the authentic, official version of the lightstick. Knockoffs are not rare and K-pop fans are not easily fooled. The price range for fakes is also typically very different.
Clothing and Accessories
T-shirts, hoodies, and other apparel and accessories with the group’s logos or concept on them. You can find these items in official collections or with licensed retailers.
Quality is king here. Fans much prefer one or two high-quality hoodies than five or more low-quality t-shirts.
Plushies and Character Merchandise
Many K-pop groups have characters associated with them.
BT21 for BTS, SKZOO for Stray Kids and a whole lot of LINE FRIENDS collaborations.
Appealing to fans who would like to have a wider range of items rather than just standard stuff, plushies, keychains and other character merchandise make a great gift.
Choosing The Best Item
Knowing the categories of gifts that are very popular is only the first step.
Figuring out the exact item that would be most appreciated is a little bit more difficult.
That is where most people make the mistake. Grabbing the first item with the group’s logo on it and thinking that’s a done deal. While K-pop fans may not complain, they are also not people to leave a blind eye on details. The right approach requires just a little more effort.
Find out who their bias is
Bias is a fancy term for a fan’s favourite member of the group. Every K-pop fan has a bias. It is also not that rare for a fan to have a “bias wrecker” as well. A second favourite member who is a serious threat to the primary bias position in the fan’s heart.
This information is a very useful filter for photocard purchases, character merchandises and even some album versions.
Know what they already have
K-pop fans are proud collectors.
Ask around a bit before you go buying that new album. Check their shelf. Ask a couple of questions.
Gift them a duplicate and you’ll get appreciation for the thought but serious disappointment that there is nothing new to add to their collection.
Check the authenticity
There is a serious issue with counterfeit items on the K-pop merchandise market. Fake photocards and lightstick knockoffs are all over online marketplaces.
Stick to official or licensed retailers or well-reviewed specialty stores. The price difference is usually a giveaway for counterfeit items.
Common Gift-Giving Mistakes
Bad gifts are a gift-giver’s nightmare. While well-meant gifts are better than no gifts at all, here are a few things that are better to be avoided.
Assuming that one K-pop group is just as good as the other.
A BLACKPINK fan is most likely not going to want any NCT merchandise. K-pop groups have their unique identities that are recognized by both the fandoms and the general audience.
Random items with Korean letters on them
Just because an item has Hangul text on it doesn’t mean that it is a K-pop related item. Fans of the genre have a pretty sharp eye.
Thinking that an item will just come on time
Many K-pop items have to be shipped from other countries. This is especially important with lightsticks that are almost all manufactured in Korea.
Order your gifts well in advance of the holiday or special occasion you plan on giving them for. Nothing is more disappointing than an awesome gift not being there on time.
Neglecting the package
Wrapping a gift is not the most important part, but it is still an important part. K-pop fans value aesthetics. The care you put into the way a gift is presented shows.
Budget-Friendly Gift Options
Don’t have a big budget to work with?
There are tons of great K-pop merchandise ideas that are extremely budget-friendly. While low prices almost always mean quality issues, it is not all doom and gloom. Photocards are very easy to purchase individually from the collectors. Stickers and pins are a very affordable official item choice.
Fan-made items are a popular and very budget-friendly option. There are lots of marketplaces with creator-consumer shops that have K-pop-related creative products. According to WifiTalents research, over 70% of K-pop fans buy official merchandise. It doesn’t mean that every item you buy should be official. Fan-made gifts are special.
Gift-giving 101
Shopping for K-pop fans is simple:
- Know who their favourite group and member is
- Stay within the gift categories we discussed
- Purchase from official or trusted sites and retailers
K-pop merchandise store is a massive market but you don’t need to be an expert to navigate it. A little bit of research will take you very far. Whether your budget is tight or generous, the right gift can tell the K-pop fan in your life that their passion is not only understood but respected. The gift you can’t see will mean more than any material thing could.
Happy shopping. We know your bias would totally approve.
