Korean-Inspired Gifts For Everyone on Your List

K-beauty and Korean culture in general (food, K-pop, dramas) are hot right now, so why not gift some creative Korean-inspired gifts this holiday season? There's something for everyone on your list, from the foodie to the skincare obsessive.

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Well, it’s almost that time again, everybody: the time to absolutely break your brain trying to figure out what to give everyone for the holidays. Luckily for you, there’s me. Here are a few Korean-inspired gift ideas for you to consider, separated out by category because I’m just that committed to making life easier for you. You’re welcome!

The Skincare Addict

I mean, duh. What else could I start with? So, let’s get the obvious out of the way: Gift sets are going to be on sale in stores everywhere. It’s the perfect time to get your friend a set from a brand they’ve been dying to try.

But what should you be looking for? There’s so much variety out there that it might seem like a lost cause to actually find the perfect gift. So, here’s a tip: Remember to keep it seasonal. No, you don’t need to limit to yourself to only buying things with reindeer on them. Just remember what skincare problems might be exacerbated for your friend during the winter. That means taking extra care to stay away from drying ingredients and staying away from hand creams (seriously, how many can you get during one holiday season?!).

For a more personal touch, you can create their own winter weather arsenal. Stock up on sheet masks, lip packs, sleeping packs, peeling foot masks (yes, the uninitiated might think it’s gross; yes, they will still end up loving you for it), serums, silicone mask covers, Italy cloths, and whatever else you think your recipient’s heart may desire. Arrange it all artfully together in a nice basket. You can even include cards detailing why you chose each product. It’s extra thoughtful and you’ve suddenly become their own personal hero. Ta-da!

The Love Interest

Have you been eyeing someone for a while now? Do you want to take it to the next level? Incidentally, are you maybe a little bit broke? If you’ve answered yes to all these questions, congratulations — I’ve got the perfect gift for you to give! (Not so much congratulations on being broke, though. I’m sending you good vibes about that one.)

As many East Asians can probably attest, nothing expresses total devotion like 1,000 hand-folded paper cranes. The time-consuming nature of the project serves as the ultimate proof of how far you’ll go to put a smile on someone’s face, so much so that the cranes are sometimes thought to bring luck to a marriage. Now, unless you have an endless amount of time and energy, you probably don’t have the time to make 1,000 paper cranes in time for Christmas this year — but that’s OK! Even a downsized version of this should get your point across right away. Hey, maybe you could even get a head start for next year in case things get serious!

The K-Pop Fan

It seems like there are subscription boxes for everything these days, and K-pop is no exception. Korea Box’s SHINee BOX, for instance, brings the K-pop fan in your life two to five unique pieces of merchandise every month, starting with a blanket (either of their bias or of the entire group) and a keychain. If you want, you can even customize the box to include other K-pop and K-drama stars. Korea Box offers themed boxes for over 20 K-pop idols and groups, with most priced at $29.99 (and free international shipping). The price point might seem a bit excessive for a recurring charge, but the good news is you can cancel at any time — making it perfect even as a one-time gift.

The Foodie

We love them, we hate them, we all have one in our lives — what are you supposed to get the ever-so-picky foodie? I’m about to say three words that are about to change your life: walking food tours. (OK, so maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration, but still.)

Foodie or not, who’s going to turn down the opportunity to make a whole event out of sampling food from specially selected restaurants? Now, here’s the even better news: You can usually find discounted tickets to these tours on Groupon and Goldstar.

Not near any major metropolitan areas that offer this sort of thing? No problem. Just like with the aforementioned Korea Boxes, food subscription boxes can bring an individualized experience right to your doorstep. Wine lovers will appreciate the Winc Wine Club, while more casual connoisseurs of international cuisine might be interested in Korea Box’s K-Snack Box (starting at $13/bottle and $17.99/box, respectively). Of course, you can always go the DIY route too. Why not try packaging the ingredients to Korean hotteok in a mason jar with an accompanying, decorative recipe card? This one is sure to be a hit.

Do you have any favorite Korean-inspired gift ideas? What would you love to receive? Let us know in the comments!