“Basic barrels are over here, the ones with touch tips are over there.”

Even on a weekday afternoon, the passageway in the fifth-floor accessories and findings section of Dongdaemun General Market was so crowded it was hard to move. Squeezing through a narrow gap, a display packed tight with pen barrels in every color came into view. Next to it, dozens of types of charms and parts (decorative components) such as character beads, colored charms, and mini figures were neatly arranged.

I placed charms and parts on the plastic tray handed over by an attentive part-timer. It was harder than expected to combine charms and parts that fit the barrel size just right, with neither slack nor protrusion. On her third visit, Jo Min-ji suggested, “First pick mainly the characters you like, then reassemble later.”

As it neared 6 p.m., the passageway grew even more crowded. People pressing from behind kept tangling hands and feet as they chose. It felt like standing on the subway during rush hour. Then a store staffer announced in a loud voice that pen barrels in popular colors had run out.

‘bol-ggu (decorating ballpoint pens)’ is a DIY trend that has spread quickly since late last year on SNS. After choosing a basic pen barrel, you combine various charms and parts to complete a pen that is your own; it is an experiential form of consumption. The repeated cycle of choosing, swapping, and setting aside keeps even customers who stopped by without a plan lingering for quite a while in front of the display. Completion takes as little as 10 minutes or as much as about 30 minutes. This not-so-short dwell time turns the space in front of the display into a kind of ‘play space’.

College student Kim Su-yeon said, “The assembly process that looked simple in videos felt much more complicated in front of the actual display,” and added, “Making it myself changed my mind.” The pen Kim completed was closer to merchandise than a writing instrument. She said, “I plan to hang it on my bag like a keyring. I like how it shows my taste as is.”

The customer base is not limited to college students. It ranges from office workers who drop by on their lunch breaks to guardians visiting with children. A store employee said, “At first most customers were in their twenties, but these days there are many in their teens and forties too.” The purpose of consumption has also changed. Homemaker Cha Yeon-jae said, “Since I take notes on my smartphone, ballpoint pens are no longer something I absolutely need,” and added, “Perception has shifted from ‘a tool you must use’ to ‘an accessory you are free to decorate.’” Without the weight of function, writing instruments are connecting generations through taste.

The core of the ‘bol-ggu’ craze is value for money. Pen barrels are around 1,000 won, and charms and parts cost a few hundred won each. Completing one pen costs around 5,000 won. The low burden brings frequent return visits to rebuild with a different concept. There is also a strong sense of control in deciding every choice from start to finish yourself. Unlike buying a finished product, the risk of failure is low and satisfaction is high. The fact that it does not require long hours or specialized skills, unlike diary decoration or accessory DIY, is also cited as a factor in its spread.

On top of that, the structural background of the Dongdaemun commercial district has played a role. With a wide variety of accessory components, the ability to buy in small quantities, and a concentration of related shops, Dongdaemun offers the optimal environment for picking pen barrels and parts on the spot and combining them. The process of finding desired items right at the display and putting them together provides the ‘fun of shopping’ that is hard to experience in large distribution networks.

Experts read the ‘bol-ggu’ craze as another point along the culture of customizing. Kim Sung-yun, head of a trend research lab, analyzed, “In an era when the joy of choosing, sharing results, and the process itself are consumed, ‘bol-ggu’ is an example of that flow moving down to the smallest everyday item,” and added, “This scene that started in a corner of the market shows well what consumers now find fun.”

However, the sustainability of the trend remains uncertain. Director Kim predicted, “Such currents tend to move on quickly to other targets rather than linger long on a specific item,” and added, “The point to watch is which everyday objects this consumption style of picking, combining, and completing will expand to after pens.”