gettyimagesbank

In our increasingly fast-paced and digitally driven world, many young people are feeling the need for tranquility more than ever before.

Seeking peacefulness in their daily lives, the younger generations — Gen Z and Millennials — are turning to retro hobbies and handmade crafts such as knitting and beadwork. These activities offer a welcome respite from the constant connectivity of modern life, allowing them to find pleasure in the pursuit of calm.

Beadwork kits like beaded embroidery, accessories and tapestry have been rising on shopping platforms. And knitting tutorial videos have been trending on social media with reels and YouTube videos walking viewers through instructions for making clothes or fashion accessories with simple yarn and needles.

A university graduate surnamed Sohn, 26, picked up bead embroidery as a hobby recently to shake off the stress.

"Someone suggested I try different hobbies when feeling depressed and down and that's when I came across bead embroidery … The thing is, I was never really someone with hobbies, but when I do this, my mind doesn't wander," she said.

"I really fell into it because I especially didn't want to focus on things that made me overthink and stress out in reality. It's not difficult at all and I can just sit in front of the TV and do this."

Some of Sohn's collection of beaded embroidery / Courtesy of Sohn

Making a selection of decorative bead embroideries through kits of different patterns, from her favorite animated character to a landscape, Sohn shared that the simplicity of the task allows her to fall into her own world, giving her a sense of pleasure.

"The biggest reason I do this regularly whenever I have time is that my thoughts just fade away while doing it. There's no grand reason, but for me, when I'm looking at these tiny beads and matching colors, during those moments of repetitive actions, it feels somewhat peaceful," she said.

According to Shinhan Card's consumer trend analysis for 2025, one of the six key key phrases it identified is "Value of Tenderness," reflecting people's spending patterns driven by a desire for emotional stability and objects of affection in their stress-filled lives.

"As the demand for finding and creating personal attachment items increases, decoration culture is becoming prevalent, and retailers of small, cute items are on the rise," it explained.

gettyimagesbank

The company reported that the number of its credit card transactions at craft shops that sell materials for decorating bags and other items increased by 98 percent between January and October last year compared to the same period the year before.

Knitting cafes, where customers can enjoy tea time while knitting and purchasing knitting supplies, also experienced a 105 percent surge in Shinhan Card transactions from January to October last year compared to the previous year.

"Examining consumption trends reveals that spending has evolved beyond simple purchasing. It's become a process of expressing identity and pursuing life values," the company's big data research center said.

With people taking an interest in handmade crafts, YouTubers offering step-by-step instructions or pattern ideas have been emerging, attracting thousands of subscribers.

A screenshot of DAERI KIM's YouTube channel / Captured from YouTube

YouTuber DAERI KIM, who also runs a knitting supply online shop named Banul Story, shares knitting-related videos, from tutorials for beginners to guide to different knitting styles and needles for her 428,000 subscribers. Her video of making a crochet tulip crossbody bag from last July garnered almost 230,000 views.

Simple vlogs of knitting, like YouTuber Mingbong, who shares videos of her knitting daily use items like cup coasters or oven mitts, are also garnering thousands of views.

Sohn expressed that the rise of knitting-related content also triggered her interest.

"These days, since there are so many videos and content that explain things in detail, I'm becoming much more interested than before. There are so many things in life that cost money, so now people, like myself, are increasingly looking for things they can do alone at home," she said.

"There's no one bothering you and you can do it by yourself. So it's more comfortable than spending money, time and emotional energy to maintain relationships with others outside."

K-pop stars sharing their handcraft hobbies are also giving a boost to the trend, with younger fans motivated to follow their favorite stars' ways of spending personal time.

Scenes from Le Sserafim member Sakura's vlog, announcing the launch of knitting merchandise line KKUROCHET / Courtesy of Source Music

Sakura, a member of girl group Le Sserafim, announced last week that she will be launching a merchandise line, KKUROCHET, inspired by her knitting hobby. The singer shared her journey to prepare for the line in the past year with a vlog on the group's official YouTube channel earlier this month. In the video, she shared different designs she came up with for the group's knitted merchandise like keychains and cellphone straps.

"I came up with KKUROCHET with the hope that people would experience something new through me. When fans told me 'I tried many things for the first time while supporting you,' it felt like I was helping to expand their world," the singer said as she introduced one of the kits.

"Through this merchandise, I hope many people will become interested in knitting and make it their hobby, but most importantly, I hope they find something they truly love."

Boy group ONEUS surprised fans with self-made moru dolls, or anvil dolls, which are fluffy dolls made by twisting soft chenille yarn, at their recent fan event in November. The group's members shared their handmade hobbies by making about 300 dolls and giving them away to all the fans attending the event.