[Biz Insight] Kancho and Labubu: How Trends Truly Explode

The 40-year-old Korean chocolate snack Kancho, made by Lotte Confectionery, is back in the spotlight.

The reason is simple: names.

The recent “Find Your Name” campaign engraved random names inside each chocolate ball, tapping into a deep consumer desire. Everyone wants to be the main character of a story. Discovering your own name in a snack turns an ordinary chocolate into a personalized experience—something that feels like it was created just for you.

A name is one of the strongest symbols of identity.

That’s why Kancho quickly transformed into “an experience that contains me.” The inclusion of hundreds of different names added rarity and a sense of play. People began buying pack after pack to find their own name or that of someone they love. Some even stacked dozens of boxes in a craze nicknamed “Kancho-ggang” (Kancho binge).

The joy of discovery naturally led to photos and posts online.

“I finally found my name!”—a single proof shot sparked more challenges, while algorithms amplified the buzz into a widespread social game.

And then, the celebrity appeared.

When IU, one of Korea’s biggest stars, revealed her disappointment at not finding “Jieun”—her real name—the campaign instantly jumped from a small-scale trend to a nationwide phenomenon.

A similar pattern can be seen with Labubu, the popular character brand from Pop Mart.

When BLACKPINK’s Lisa was spotted with it, Labubu became a global sensation. Yet the brand had already built its appeal with refillable packaging, limited-edition colors, and collectible designs that tapped into the thrill of ownership. Lisa was merely the ignition spark that set the brand alight.

The Message from Kancho and Labubu

Celebrities don’t create trends.

They act as accelerators, igniting sparks that already exist. If a product does not reflect identity, provide the joy of collecting, or deliver playful engagement, no celebrity endorsement—no matter how famous—can sustain the momentum.

In the end, trends don’t spread just because companies push them from the top down.

They spread when a product taps into consumer desire, reflects personal identity, and fuels the instinct to share and brag. Only when a star lights the match on top of this foundation does it explode into a true social phenomenon.

So the real question is:

“Is your product ready to make consumers the main character?”

By Keum-mong  Jun / kmj@kmjournal.net