Some 'nondescript' foreign items popular among Koreans

Published : Feb 21, 2017 - 11:05 Updated : Feb 21, 2017 - 11:05

Several high-priced foreign goods are extremely popular among South Koreans though they are almost unknown to consumers in the producing countries, industry sources said Tuesday.

One of them is a tableware set made by Portuguese kitchenware maker Cutipol. South Korean housewives are smitten with the set that includes a spoon, fork, knife and chopsticks with a price tag of 80,000 won ($69.80).

The camphore cutting block (Yonhap)

It has emerged as a must-buy item among newly-wed couples in South Korea, where consumer appetite for foreign luxury brands is high.

Industry watchers, however, said the set is sold at a much cheaper price in Portugal, but there are not many Cutipol stores in the country because Portuguese consumers prefer cheaper products manufactured by Swedish furniture group IKEA.

Billed as a European luxury brand, tableware products by Portuguese company Costa Nova are also gaining popularity among South Korean consumers despite their high prices. The company has recently provided its products to a popular TV drama.

Another item on the list is an Australian-made cutting block that has been a hot ticket among South Korean housewives for years after becoming famous through word of mouth following its debut on local home shopping channels.

Made from the camphore tree known to have strong fragrance and repress fugi and bacteria, the cutting block is sold at a higher price than ordinary products, but few Australians have heard of it, according to the watchers.

Japanese company Rivers' "My Bottle" tumbler was once dubbed a "national bottle" as it sold like hot cakes in South Korea, despite a relatively high price tag of 19,900 won.

Unable to buy "My bottle" tumblers despite an offer of premiums, some consumers used to purchase them directly from Japan or ask acquaintances traveling to the neighboring country to buy in their place.

Consumer products are not alone. Hotels and cafes in some foreign cities, -- including the Swiss alpine town of Interlarken and Vietnam's Danang famous for coconut coffee -- are extremely popular among South Korean tourists thought they have to pay high bills, according to the sources. (Yonhap)