On the 10th, KPR Insight Research Institute reported that 'rediscovery consumption' is emerging as a significant structural trend across sectors such as content, food, and fashion. This shift illustrates how consumers are increasingly finding new meanings in familiar products, fundamentally altering their relationship with brands and affecting purchasing behaviors.

The analysis indicates a 44.6% increase in mentions of retro-related emotions, from 126,689 mentions in June 2023 to 183,168 by June 2026. This rise suggests a deeper consumer engagement as emotional keywords such as 'comfort', 'empathy', and 'nostalgia' replace previous focus points on 'vintage' and 'analog', indicating that consumers are not merely seeking aesthetic revival but emotional reconnection with past experiences.

In the food sector, the trend of consumer-driven exploration is significant. Mentions related to 'personal recipes' have risen by 19% year-on-year, hitting 119,270 mentions, highlighting a shift towards self-expression in culinary creation. Keywords like 'discovery', 'challenge', and 'sharing' emphasize that consumers are enjoying the experience of crafting their unique combinations, thereby altering how products are developed. This trend highlights a move towards 'modi-shumer' culture, wherein consumer-generated concepts are increasingly informing new product developments.

Strategically, brands are transitioning to a structure where consumer-generated combinations and preferences guide product planning. This represents a crucial shift from traditional brand-led initiatives toward a more collaborative consumer-brand relationship, where insight from customers is integral to product innovation.

Shin Myung-hee, Head of KPR Insight Research Institute, highlighted that consumers have become the starting point for rediscovery, marking a departure from the conventional model where brands proposed innovations. The current landscape demands that brands connect new meanings derived from consumer engagement to their products and marketing efforts to successfully navigate these changes.

This transformation calls for brands to reinterpret existing assets—like bestsellers and brand heritage—within the contemporary consumer context. The focus on adapting these historical brand elements is becoming increasingly critical, as companies seek to build new foundations while enhancing their established brand equity.

Overall, the trend of rediscovery consumption signals a pivotal moment in the beauty industry. Brands that can adapt to this paradigm shift—leveraging emotional connections and consumer input—will likely achieve competitive differentiation in an evolving market.