It may seem somewhat ironic to call a fluffy doll ornament adorning a handbag a "key ring," as it seemingly serves no practical purpose and has no keys attached.

Instead, it's all about the aesthetic for many young Koreans, who embellish their bags with these key rings, also known as bag charms.

"I visited a cafe in Seoul's Yeonnam-dong with my friends and decided to get this fleecy bear for my bag," university student Park Ji-soo said after buying a white bear bag charm.

"I wasn't aware that this was a fad in South Korea, but I've noticed a surge in stores selling a wide range of bag charms these days."

More and more shops are stocking a variety of bag accessories, cashing in on the desires of collectors like Park.