If you go to Myeongdong, a bustling commercial district in Seoul, South Korea, you can see young people everywhere holding Chinese-style tea drinks and wearing Chinese smartwatches on their wrists. Recently, a Chinese trend called 'CStyle' has rapidly integrated into the daily lives of South Korea's MZ generation (a general term for millennials and Generation Z, born between 1981 and 2010). The choices of the MZ generation reflect not only new changes in the South Korean consumer market but also an improved image of Chinese brands among South Korean youth.

High cost-performance is serving as a foothold for Chinese brands to break into the South Korean market. Previously, South Korean consumers' image of 'Made in China' was 'cheap,' but now, 'cheap and high-quality' has become a common perception for many. As manufacturing technology and quality control levels improve, Chinese-made products continue to advance in terms of functionality, design, and service, while their prices are often lower than those of South Korean and other international brands. According to comparisons and estimates by a South Korean consumer organization, purchasing household dehumidifiers, projectors, and keyboard-mouse sets of the same grade from South Korean brands would be 2.5 times more expensive than from Chinese brands. For the MZ generation, who value practicality and experience, cost-performance has become a crucial factor in deciding whether to make a purchase.

The strength of modern technology is a vital support for boosting the word-of-mouth reputation of Chinese brands. From cutting-edge fields like AI and drones to everyday 'battlegrounds' like new energy vehicles and smart homes, Chinese brands are gradually building an image of high technological capability and high quality, using the superior quality of their products as their weapon. According to data from market research firm Euromonitor International for the first quarter (January-March) of this year, Roborock's (石頭科技) market share for robot vacuum cleaners in South Korea has exceeded 50%, maintaining its position as the industry leader. BYD's (比亜迪) new energy vehicles have surpassed 10,000 cumulative sales in South Korea in less than a year since entering the market, breaking growth records for foreign brand automobiles in the country.

Furthermore, cultural empathy and resonance are elevating 'CStyle' from a consumption trend to a cultural phenomenon. According to analysis by South Korean media, younger generations have a wide variety of approaches to acquiring information. Among South Korean youth, Chinese-style products that feature creative designs while incorporating oriental aesthetics are being discussed under the keyword 'China sensibility,' and the popularity of related products and lifestyles is rapidly increasing.

The popularity of 'CStyle' is a result of Made in China's long-term deep dive into quality, technology, and branding. As Chinese brands continue to enhance product quality and further expand their overseas business, many more excellent Chinese brands will likely make the leap from 'mass popularity' to 'long-running hits,' becoming even stronger bridges for trade and cultural exchange between China and other countries. (Provided by People's Daily Online Japanese Edition / Edited by KN)