Hi, bumping this thread because I recently thought about getting a Marhen J bag. I live in Korea and I still see people carrying them. I didn't like the long strap on the handle at first and the huge brand name on it, but the design of the Rico bag has really grown on me. The only problem is that most of their bags are open top and I prefer a zipper closure for safety.
Another brand I stumbled upon was ithinkso. I use one of the tote/messenger bags for work and it's great because 1) made of nylon so it's waterproof, 2) zipper close for main part, 3) lots of space/pockets, 4)reasonable price (compared to Marhen J for size and functionality). I am thinking about getting this as an everyday bag, too. The only thing is the color selection for this brand isn't the best.
source: ithinkso website
I have just bought the Rico mini in indie pink, though, because it was on sale. Hopefully, I can use it for spring/summer. I will probably do a review and get the ithinkso bag in the future to compare. OP @appleorchard96, did you ever purchase any Korean brand bags?