Korea's younger generation is embracing a new DIY trend called "Bol-Kku", or ballpoint pen decorating. By adding beads, charms, and colorful parts to everyday items like pens, keycaps, keyrings, people are turning simple objects into unique expressions of personal style. The trend has even brought new energy to Seoul's Dongdaemum craft market, where many young visitors now shop for decoration materials. Affordable, creative, and highly shareable on social media, this decorating culture reflects how Gen Z in Korea combines hands-on creativity with online expression.
From Diaries to Pens: Korea’s New DIY Trend, “Bol-Kku”
Recently in Korea, a new DIY hobby has been gaining popularity among younger generations: decorating everyday items. From ballpoint pens to keyboard keycaps and keyrings, people are turning ordinary objects into personalized accessories.
Interestingly, while today’s generation is deeply immersed in digital culture, many are becoming increasingly interested in hands-on, analog hobbies that allow them to create something unique.
One of the most popular trends right now is “Bol-Kku,” short for ballpoint pen decorating. The idea is simple: take a basic pen and customize it using beads, miniature charms, chains, and colorful decorative parts.
After finishing their creations, many people share the process and the final result on social media platforms, making the trend spread even faster.
Dongdaemun: The Unexpected Hotspot for DIY Decorations
The center of this trend is Seoul’s Dongdaemun Jonghap Market, a large market known for selling craft materials and accessories.
In the past, most customers here were wholesale buyers purchasing materials in bulk. Recently, however, the market has seen a noticeable increase in visitors in their teens and twenties who come specifically to shop for decoration parts.
Because of the growing number of young visitors, Dongdaemun has even gained a nickname on social media as the “holy place for Bol-Kku.” The influx of hobbyists has also brought new energy to the market’s accessory shops.
A Fun Hobby That’s Surprisingly Affordable
The trend did not appear out of nowhere. In Korea, a similar hobby known as “da-kku” (diary decorating) became popular on social media in recent years.
People decorated their planners with stickers, tapes, and small accessories, often sharing photos or videos of their designs online.
Today, that decorating culture has expanded beyond diaries to include pens, keyboards, bags, and keyrings, turning everyday items into small expressions of personal style.
The Rise of Keycap and Keyring Decorations
Along with pen decorating, another popular trend is keycap and keyring customization.
Stores selling decoration parts often display dozens of small accessories shaped like fruit, bears, ribbons, and bells. Customers choose their favorite keycaps or keyrings and combine them with different parts to create something unique.
Keycap keyrings usually cost around 2,000 to 2,500 won, making them another easy and affordable way for people to express their individuality.
Experience, Creativity, and Social Media
Experts often describe this trend as a combination of “experience-based consumption” and social media culture.
Instead of simply buying finished products, people enjoy the process of designing and assembling something themselves. Sharing the results online and receiving positive reactions from others adds another layer of enjoyment to the experience.
Retailers Are Also Taking Notice
The popularity of these decoration trends has even caught the attention of retailers. Some convenience store chains in Korea have started selling character-themed keycaps and keyrings as part of special promotions.
In certain stores, these products have sold out quickly, showing how fast the trend is spreading.
What started as a small DIY hobby is now becoming another way for people in Korea to express creativity through the objects they use every day.
