"Flying to Jeju Just to Buy This Shirt"... The 'Open Run, Sold-Out Craze' Becomes a Must-Have Travel Item [Now Buying Ways]

Uniqlo's Jeju-Exclusive T-Shirts Spark Frenzy
Local Collaborations Drive Craze, Sellouts Lead to ‘Open Run’ Phenomenon

Editor's NoteWhat do people buy these days? From must-have daily essentials at Daiso, to beauty products that sell out at Olive Young, and even bakery items people line up for. These familiar consumption scenes perfectly capture today’s market trends. is a series that explores current consumer trends through the lens of “best-selling” everyday products. Which items win out and what strategies actually open wallets? This series unpacks the transformation at the heart of consumer culture—the changes behind what we choose to buy—in a simple and engaging way.

Wearing a T-shirt collaborated between Uniqlo and the Jeju local brand 'Gyul Medal'. Screenshot from YouTube channels Won Baekhee and KAMIN Kamin.

"I waited in line before the store even opened. Still, I barely managed to get one in my size."

Recently, an office worker in their 30s, surnamed Kim, traveled to Jeju for a summer vacation and unexpectedly experienced an "open run"—lining up before a store opens to get a limited product. Instead of the usual chocolates or Hallabong gift sets, Kim was carrying a shopping bag from the global SPA brand Uniqlo.

Recently, T-shirts released through Uniqlo's collaborations with Jeju local brands—Gyul Medal, Abebebe Bakery, Hallasan Soju, and Jeju Air—have become a "must-have shopping item" among tourists. The rarity of these T-shirts, which are available at only three stores on Jeju Island, combined with high vacation season demand, has led to instant sellouts as soon as stores open, with open-run lines forming outside the shops.

On social media, real-time updates show people sharing tips on store inventory and how to purchase the shirts, alongside posts saying, "I thought it was a team shirt after seeing everyone wear the same thing in Jeju," and "I tried to get kid sizes, but failed."

The Jeju Travel “Must-Have Item” Powered by Social Media

Social media is at the center of this craze. Short-form videos and posts with titles like "The T-shirt you absolutely need if you go to Jeju," and "If you don’t buy it now, you’ll miss out," are spreading fast and powerfully triggering shoppers’ desire to purchase.

Post related to the T-shirt collaboration between Uniqlo and the Jeju local brand 'Gyul Medal'. Instagram capture

This type of content doesn’t just showcase the design—it conveys the real experience of wearing the shirts and the unique travel vibe of Jeju, boosting buyers’ cravings even further. As photos of actual purchases spread, so does the bandwagon effect of following others’ choices.

'Everyday Goods' as Evolving Souvenirs… Stores Become Tourist Content

Another reason these T-shirts are catching attention is that the paradigm for tourist souvenirs has fundamentally changed. In the past, souvenirs were mostly keepsakes to be displayed. Now, they have become “fashionable goods” people actively wear in daily life.

Uniqlo’s local collaboration is already a proven formula. Last year, the first collaborative T-shirts with Gyul Medal sold out nearly 80,000 pieces in an instant, sparking a nationwide craze. This year, a customization area at Uniqlo’s Seogwipo store and elsewhere lets customers combine local stickers in their own designs, directly targeting the tastes of Millennials & Gen Z customers seeking “unique goods.”

T-shirt collaboration between Uniqlo and the Jeju local brand 'Gyul Medal'. Uniqlo

This shift has turned the role of the store itself upside down. Physical locations are no longer just places to buy things—they’ve expanded into experiential tourist destinations, making the act of visiting the store a major part of any Jeju trip.

"Wearing More Than Just Clothes"… Local Narratives Are Sweeping the Fashion Industry

The Uniqlo case highlights a larger industry trend: increasingly, brands are incorporating local stories and vibes to deepen brand experiences and attract shoppers. For example, Dunst’s new flagship store in Aewol, Jeju, which opened mid-month, allows customers to relax while enjoying coastal scenery and exploring their personal tastes. The store even provides a customized "Jeju Taste Map" with recommendations for local dining, cafes, and walking trails.

Big Park, a brand run by fashion designer Park Yoonsoo, shot its 2026 FW collection at Yesan Permanent Market and the former Chungnam Spinning Company site in South Chungcheong Province, blending local industry and history with K-fashion and being recognized as a new form of creative content.

Experts say that “today’s consumers don’t just want to buy a clothing item—they want to own a special narrative.” They diagnose, “Beyond the quality of the product itself, what kind of experience a brand offers will become the main criterion that determines brand competitiveness.”

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