To soccer fans, Erling Haaland is Norway's prolific striker. In China, AI-generated memes and parody videos have turned him into an internet celebrity. In crypto circles, his World Cup popularity has even inspired a meme token.In South Korea, however, the conversation has taken a different turn: the hair tie securing his signature man bun. Erling Haaland has frequently been spotted wearing a colorful hair tie. Sharp-eyed fans have noticed that he often matches its color to his kit. (Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) During the ongoing World Cup, Haaland's trademark hairstyle has become one of the tournament's unlikely talking points. Fans have marveled at how it remains perfectly in place through 90 minutes of sprinting, aerial duels and celebrations. In Korea, curiosity has shifted beyond the hairstyle itself to the name of the brand behind it: Kknekki.The brand name sparked an immediate sense of familiarity among some Korean users, many of whom pointed out its resemblance to kkeunaekki, a dialect word for "string" or "cord" in the Gyeongsang provinces.As the discovery spread online, Korean users and media outlets began pointing out the brand's little-known connection to Korea. A Kknekki pop-up in London in November 2025. The brand's official website tells the story of its origins in South Korea. (Instagram @thedressroomsocial, Kknekki) Founded in South Korea in 1987, Kknekki began as a locally developed hair tie brand with modest roots before being acquired by Norwegian accessories brand Bon Dep in 2015. The product was created by Korean manufacturer Dooji in Hamyang, South Gyeongsang Province, using a distinctive weaving technique designed to make the ties both durable and gentle on the hair.As many online users guessed, the brand name itself derives from kkeunaekki, a nod to the region where it began.For some Koreans, the brand's backstory was not just trivia. It was memory."About 20 years ago, when I had long hair, I used to try a lot of hair ties, and there was one that was exceptionally good quality," one user wrote, recalling how coming across a Kknekki hair tie had left a lasting impression.The user went on to recall spotting a Kknekki sign while passing through Seoul's Bangsan Market and telling her mother that the company made "the best hair elastics." Her mother, who was from the Gyeongsang region, explained that kkeunaekki meant "string.""I remember thinking, 'Oh, interesting,' and then forgot all about it," the user wrote. "But today, just as I was thinking I missed Kknekki because I couldn't find any hair ties I liked, the Haaland-Kknekki story suddenly popped up on my algorithm. How random is that?"The comment ended with what may be the most fitting reaction to the whole saga: "Knekki quality with Norwegian design? I really want to buy it now." Haaland wraps himself in a necklace of Kknekki hair ties. (Instagram @kknekki) Haaland's affinity for the brand is no secret. Photos of him color-coordinating his hair ties with his outfits and posing with an almost comical number of the Kknekki hair ties have spread widely online.He isn't just a loyal customer. After years of using the product, he acquired shares in Bon Dep in 2024, becoming a minority shareholder.Ahead of the World Cup, Kknekki released a limited "Haaland Edition" collection inspired by the colors he wears on the pitch. The collection sold out at launch, and the collaboration gave the brand a significant boost.Bon Dep said Kknekki gained more than 10,000 new social media followers, while overall website traffic rose by 70 percent. Visits from Norwegian customers — despite the brand historically generating most of its sales overseas — surged by 319 percent following the campaign. An outdoor campaign in Oslo, Norway, promoting the Erling Haaland x Kknekki collaboration ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup (Instagram @kknekki) Meanwhile, in Korea, interest in the word "kkeunekki" has spiked over the past week, according to Google search trends. Related searches on Korea's primary search engine, Naver, included search terms like "kkeunaekki Haaland," "kkeunaekki hair tie" and "kkeunaekki brand." Interest in the word "kkeunaekki" soared across Korean search platforms as Haaland's hair tie became an unexpected talking point during the World Cup. (Google Trends, Naver) For many Korean users, the discovery turned into a mix of curiosity and regional pride."Of course it’s from Hamyang! So proud," one commenter wrote. Erling Haaland (Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)