{
  "id": 9277478,
  "title": "Unlikely Seoul souvenir becomes next big trend on Japanese social media",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/unlikely-seoul-souvenir-becomes-next-big-trend-on-japanese-social-9277478",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-23T05:32:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/lifestyle/trends/20260923/unlikely-seoul-souvenir-becomes-next-big-trend-on-japanese-social-media"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A compact cap adorned with Seoul's official emblem has captured the attention of Japanese social media users, exploding in popularity and transforming municipal merchandise into a coveted fashion item. A Japanese individual shared a photograph of themselves donning the Seoul My Soul Belt Cap on September 7, which garnered 2.7 million views, 32,000 likes, 7,900 reposts, and 9,300 bookmarks without any paid promotion, as reported by Seoul Metropolitan Government. The cap, launched on September 3 through a collaboration between Seoul's SEOUL MY SOUL city brand and esteemed fashion house ONGO, merges contemporary headwear with Korean traditional knotwork motifs. Seoul officials reported that the post's resonance in Japan has also sparked demand in Korea, demonstrating how locally inspired products can expand beyond their original market through online platforms. On Wednesday, the city government unveiled its inaugural Seoul Goods Top 10 list, analyzing international shoppers’ purchases across both digital and physical outlets this year. The report revealed that consumers in their twenties comprise a significant portion of the purchasing audience.",
  "summary": "A sleek cap featuring Seoul’s official logo has become an unlikely viral sensation in Japan, racking up millions of social media views and turning municipal merchandise into a sought-after fashion statement. A Japanese user posted a photo of themselves wearing the Seoul My Soul Belt Cap on Sept. 7. The post recorded 2.7 million views, 32,000 likes, 7,900 reposts and 9,300 bookmarks without any…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Unlikely Seoul souvenir becomes next big trend on Japanese social media",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/unlikely-seoul-souvenir-becomes-next-big-trend-on-japanese-social",
        "published": "2026-09-23T05:17:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}