Sunny Kim

The decades-old practice of finding your most flattering hues has become viral fodder on TikTok—and South Korea is capitalizing on the opportunity.

Culinary Class Wars continues to influence Korean diners and increase revenue for operators.

During the LA wildfires in January, influencer Sydney Sims posted a video on TikTok of shopping for what she needed to evacuate from her home in Hollywood. Into her Target cart went a box of protein bars, pet food and a few toys for her cats. “Now we’re trying to find the essentials — AKA, Alani,” she said before grabbing a case of the energy drink Alani Nu, plus two cans from a store fridge for the road.

Sales of the scary-cute collectibles doubled Pop Mart’s revenue in 2024. Now the Beijing-based toymaker is raising prices.

Demand for the Instagram-friendly nuts have driven up margins for farmers, who are preparing for a bumper crop this fall.