In high-pressure Korea, young people find stress relief in keycaps

Left: A scene from Saturday Night Live Korea shows a young office worker clicking a keycap keyring to ease anxiety. The subtitle reads “dogak dogak,” an onomatopoeic expression mimicking the sound of keyboard typing. Right: A YouTuber displays a keycap keyring engraved with the word “quitting” on the key. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

 

In a highly competitive and stress-laden country like Korea, people turn to a wide range of items, activities and services to ease their mental burden. Clicking keyboard keycaps is an unlikely addition to that list.

 

Keycap keyrings — miniature accessories built with the same mechanical switches used in keyboards — are emerging as a must-have bag item among consumers in their 20s and 30s, driven by their cute designs and stress-relieving appeal.

 

 

Users describe the trinkets’ charm as hard to articulate but difficult to stop. The repetitive clicking delivers a sensory feedback loop that many say eases tension, even if they cannot explain exactly why. The craze has even been satirized on Saturday Night Live Korea (2021-), a sign of just how deeply it has embedded itself in the cultural mainstream.

 

“One of my co-workers said that it helps to calm her mind when she fidgets with it during her commute,” said Kim Ji-min, who said she is an office worker. “I saw some of my friends share their own custom keyrings on social media. I asked them what it was, and I figured I could use it as a stress relief. It was so cutesy, too.”

 

The phenomenon reflects a broader shift in how young consumers manage daily stress. Rather than carving out dedicated time for relaxation, many are turning to micro moments of tactile relief that fit within an already packed schedule.  

 

Numerous keycap keyrings are displayed in an accessories store in Dongdaemun Shopping Complex in Jongno District, central Seoul, on April 21. [KIM MIN-YOUNG]

 

“Some people do it to relieve boredom, others to shake off anxiety. That pressing motion likely comes from a range of psychological factors, and people turn to it depending on their mental state,” said Lee Eun-hee, a professor of consumer studies at Inha University. “When you’re a new employee or just starting out, everything feels difficult. You go through that tunnel before moving on to a more established stage, and that’s why anxiety levels tend to be high.”

 

In Korea, life is structured around intense competition from early schooling through employment, with advancement largely determined by rankings and test scores. Such an environment often translates into a high level of stress. 

 

The Ministry of Data and Statistics’ index measuring negative emotions — including depression and anxiety — rose to 3.8 in 2025, up from 3.1 the previous year. The level is similar to the range seen during the Covid-19 pandemic. Koreans also rated their satisfaction with life at 6.4 in 2023 on average, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, below the average of 7.3.  

 

Numerous keycap keyrings are displayed in an accessories store in Dongdaemun Shopping Complex in Jongno District, central Seoul, on April 21. [KIM MIN-YOUNG]

 

The trend was reflected in the swathes of flashing lights twinkling among the cutesy plastic flood in Jongno District, central Seoul, when this reporter found himself struggling to find his way among hordes of customers fiending for accessory components in the Dongdaemun Shopping Complex. 

 

“They are incredibly popular,” said Seo Young-hyun, who owns an accessories shop in the complex. “It’s usually teenage girls to young women in their early twenties that show up.”

 

The products range from single-key units to nine-key clusters, some fitted with light-emitting diode, or LED, lights that glow when pressed. Most cost between 3,000 and 15,000 won ($2 and $10).  

 

Dongdaemun wholesale markets now host DIY keycap shops where customers assemble their own sets from switches, colored casings and character charms. Some companies have begun producing branded keycap keyrings as promotional giveaways.

 

A keycap keyring is displayed in Kyobo Book Centre’s Dongdaemun branch in Jung District, central Seoul, on April 21. [KIM MIN-YOUNG]

 

“Customers spend a lot of time trying to find parts they like and assemble them into their unique keyring,” said Seo. “I asked some of them what they go for, and it seems like most of them are either their initials or MBTI.” MBTI refers to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality test. 

 

“People all have different tendencies,” Prof. Lee said. “So when solving problems, individuals approach them in ways that match their own disposition or sense of self-expression.”

 

Mentions of keycap keyrings on Instagram surged 137 percent in February compared to December 2025, with related terms rising 156 percent over the same period, according to social data analytics firm Sometrend. 

 

Convenience store chains helped ignite the trend, according to Sometrend’s analysis. 7-Eleven’s Hello Kitty keycap keyring in January and CU’s Pokémon Eevee edition in February both triggered sold-out frenzies and long queues, expanding the product’s reach beyond niche variety stores into mainstream retail. 

 

A squishie is displayed in Kyobo Book Centre’s Dongdaemun branch in Jung District, central Seoul, on April 21. [KIM MIN-YOUNG]

 

Keycap keyrings sit at the center of a broader wave of stress relief gadgets that started as children’s toys but quickly became everyday items that even adults carry.

 

Squishies, wax-coated sensory toys designed to be crushed, have drawn millions of views on YouTube for their satisfying cracking sounds. Push-pop silicone toys remain a staple. Stress balls gained fresh momentum after Blackpink’s Rosé featured one in a November 2024 Vogue Korea video, with the product selling out immediately and brand-comparison reviews racking up millions of views.

 

“I hope this will bring some calm into my life,” said Kim. “It seems to be rather noticeable, both online and offline. If it’s there, what would be the harm in trying it?” 

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]