"Slipping On Red While Working": Office Workers Get Into the Spirit... How Weekday Morning World Cup Matches Are Changing Daily Life [The Way We Shop Now]

Cheering Outfits for Weekday Morning Matches Gain Popularity

Uniform Searches Jump Sixfold, Transactions Up 4.5 Times

Demand Also Rises for Accessories Like Bandanas and Tattoo Stickers

Editor's NoteWhat are people buying these days? From essential household goods picked up at Daiso, to the beauty products that sell out at Olive Young, to the bread that people line up for. Everyday scenes of consumption vividly reflect the current market trends. "The Way We Shop Now" is a series that reads into today's consumer trends through 'bestselling products' in daily life. It explains, in an easy and engaging way, which products are being chosen and what strategies are prompting consumers to open their wallets, shedding light on the changes at the heart of consumer culture.

Winter of aespa (left) and Karina wearing soccer uniforms. Instagram capture

With the kickoff of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup, the landscape of "cheering culture" has changed. Instead of crowds gathering in streets and plazas, offices, schools, and even commutes have become new arenas for cheering. This shift is due to matches being scheduled mainly on weekday mornings. Rather than gathering in specific locations, consumers are now choosing to enjoy the World Cup naturally as part of their daily routines.

"Cheering for Soccer While at Work"... Office Workers Looking for 'Red'

At the center of this change is the "Blokecore" trend, where sports uniforms are styled alongside everyday clothing. With uniforms and sportswear that were once reserved for stadiums now being worn as everyday fashion, sports consumption is permeating all aspects of lifestyle.

According to industry sources on June 20, the demand for "everyday cheering outfits" that can be easily worn at work and school is rising as World Cup matches take place on weekday mornings. From June 12, the opening day of the World Cup, to June 15, keyword searches for "Republic of Korea uniform" on Musinsa surged by over 486% compared to the same period the previous week (June 5–8). During the same period, the total transaction volume for the uniform category also increased by more than 353%, nearly quadrupling week-over-week. Searches for related terms such as "uniform" and "soccer uniform" also nearly doubled.

Nike's 'Republic of Korea 2026 Stadium Home Dri-FIT Soccer Replica Jersey' ranked high in the product ranking at Musinsa's 'Mujinjang Black Friday' event. Musinsa

Especially after the event began, Nike's "Republic of Korea 2026 Stadium Home Dri-FIT Soccer Replica Jersey" quickly rose to the top ranks of Musinsa's product rankings. Transaction volumes in the bandana category, a signature item of the Blokecore look, also jumped by more than 78% from June 1 to 15 compared to the same period last year.

On the fashion platform Zigzag, searches for "World Cup" increased more than sevenfold. Demand also surged for cheering accessories such as bandanas (31%), scarves (16%), and tattoo stickers (42%), along with color keywords like "Red Devils" and "red." Light, participatory forms of consumption that are affordable and usable in daily life appear to be expanding.

Employees of Hyungji Elite are holding a cheer campaign to support the success of the Korea vs. Mexico match in the Group A second round of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup at the 'Datotan Hall' auditorium of the Songdo headquarters on the 19th. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

The secondhand market is also heating up. On the used goods platform Danggeun, searches for "national team uniform," "national team jersey," and "Son Heung-min uniform" increased by 236%, 373%, and 190%, respectively, and transaction volumes rose by 114%, 15%, and 110%, respectively.

The Fashion Market Sees a 'Wave of Red' Thanks to the World Cup

The fashion industry sees this change as an opportunity and has responded immediately. Hazzys boosted its "neo-preppy" styles centered on red, leading to a 30% increase in related sales, while Reebok introduced around 30% of its seasonal products in red hues. Global brands are also putting national team uniforms and replica products front and center to attract consumers.

Hazzys' representative line for this spring and summer (SS) season, the 'HRC' collection. LF

Industry experts say that this World Cup is fundamentally changing the structure of sports consumption. Consumption, once concentrated in specific places and moments, is now spreading into daily life and expanding into the broader fashion and lifestyle sectors.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.