The quality of luxury items has decreased dramatically in the last two decades. These days, you only pay for the name, not its durability. Planned obsolescence is a real thing.
That's pretty much it... Sometimes the quality is proportional to the price... But in this IG filter society, who the hell cares about quality as long as you can see the logo popping out...
that's right. As a pragmatist, I see luxury goods as a waste of money. How ridiculous is it that the presidents of luxury brands are among the world's richest? 😂
I'll never forget my Korean friend studying abroad in my country, and sometimes not having enough to eat except a pack of ramyeon but spending $3,000 on a dior scarf when we went to the poshest department store in my country. She was in her overdraft but her motto was classic designer things don't go out of style. Made me realize that everyone has different priorities in life...
Pues es ridículo que le "guste verse bien", por un lado, pero por otro se esté muriendo de hambre. 😆🙃 Hay mucha gente que piensa que, no es una prioridad el gastar en cosas de diseñador por que, sabiendo buscar y teniendo buen gusto, se viste bien.
I once worked for a Korean online academy, in which a guy (student) shared that he had to eat ramyun for a month because he had gifted his girlfriend an LV bag.
Korean obsession with materialistic, superficial, luxury items is out of control, even as a Korean myself i always have a hard time wrapping my head around and understanding them.
So this obsession with materialistic things don't happen all over the word and it's just Korea? You ever watch the news in the USA where criminals are targeting luxury brand name stores like Louis Vuitton, Gucci etc..?
@@AL-qj9yh Unless u go to funeral or wedding where u have to be dressed nicer. Its inapproriate and unclassy to show off with some luxury clothes aka money.
@@nancylove8360 Nowhere did the original comment explicitly state "only" Korea. He is stating an observation. In this context, USA is not relevant to his observation unless you think there is a correlation between materialism in USA and materialism in Korea. Even if there is a correlation between the spending habits of two countries, it would be quite difficult to prove causation.
Korean culture is among the most superficial in the world. That’s not a judgement, it’s just an observational fact. Appearance is what society there values.
Those who want to say that Korea is the most materialistic and superficial country in the world are only qualified when they come from a country where there are fewer pickpockets and street scams than Korea, and people who are more emotionally honest than Koreans. But from my point of view, this kind of country is honestly very rare. The only country that comes to mind right now is Taiwan only
@@Rigdjc0183hc it's not mushi, it's a different perspective. You obviously can't see it because you're so defensive in your argument... Try seeing it from an objective point of view,. How can you disagree and say Korean society isn't overwhelmingly obsessed with superficial things? In Korea, it's normal for teenagers to get plastic surgery after graduation... That's not a worldwide thing, so of course it's shocking to the world. It won't be shocking to you because that's normal, but from a human perspective, it's completely abnormal.
The crazy thing is the real rich folks don’t really buy these things. Most “luxury” items are targeting middle class citizens. These companies just use celebrities to market their items. Their main customers are from East Asia… especially China and South Korea where they have a huge wealth gap
Exactly, they target the middle class. Those who are one foot from being rich but will never be. Those people will strive to look good just like celebrities and appear rich on order to be validated
Yep, i have one friend that buy a lot of Balenciaga shoes, and he thinks that he have a lot of money because he can buy this kind of brands and he talk so bad with the chinese clones but Balenciaga mades all the shoes in China, so whats the difference? 😅
I was once talking to a korean girl and she was flabbergasted when I told her that most Europeans don't buy those brands. I say this because most of the brands mentioned here are from Europe. The likes of LV, Gucci, etc are pure garbage. They are the fast food of "luxury fashion". Most of these mainstream brands are garbage and their products are made exactly the same way as the brands from China. You are paying 1000x more solely because of the name. There are only 3 brands that I would consider buying and those are Loro Piana, Brunnelo Cucinneli and Cartier. Also, just because something is expensive it definitely does not mean that it's good, like the first lady said. This, naturally, is a personal opinion, but people should definitely be aware that the mainstream "luxury" brands aren't luxury at all.
I watched a documentary a while ago about how Koreans max out their credit cards and have a lot of debt just to own luxury items. It’s really sad to see how pressured these people feel by the society to willingly go into debt for wearing a luxury brand item.
Or you could just... not give a shit if other people are throwing their money away buying shit they don't need? I moved here about a year ago and honestly don't have a single designer item on me.
@@BlueSkyCountry True. But then their kids would grow up being taught to look down on poor people who can't afford luxuries. Another side effect is that people would find illegal ways to make money to buy their luxuries.
I moved to the united states when I was 7 so although I'm korean, I didn't grown up with new cultural norms. I do not own any luxury brands, I buy normal non-luxury products for my family of 5 so I have enough money to give my dad $3000 allowance per month. I wonder how many of the korean 20s-50 year olds are following the older culture of financially taking care of their parents. We are currently wearing our $10-$50 clothes right now but I was able to bring my family plus my dad to korea for a 2 month trip. We look around and there are alot of well dressed koreans which is great for them. But what will happen to them if they lose their jobs? Instead of fake dressing rich, I am more interested in fake dressing poor. If a person stood next to me, nobody would ever guess that my husband and I are the millionaires next door by looking at our $7 flip flops or our $10 tshirts
My friend is currently working in Korea as a postdoctoral. She even got contempt from her Korean colleagues sometimes that she look like a waitress since my friend always like to wear jeans and a T-shirt. When I heard that I really feel mad for her, I really hate this type of culture, trend, or lifestyle. Such a toxic environment to have this kind of society around you. I never want to go to study or even work in Korea. What an obsessive society. lol
She is dressed too casually if she is wearing a t-shirt and jeans unless it is a casual workplace. That doesn’t excuse contempt, but it is something she should be aware of when working in an office environment. The same is true for many countries. Doesn’t make it toxic, but there is a dress code for most companies.
@@jiminswriter4209It's not an office. If you don't know, you should firstly ASK. It's just a laboratory in her school where many postgraduate students always dress casually for experiments. Of course, if she needs to attend a conference, seminar, or an important meeting, she would wear a suit.
Have she ever had people who she thought were close friends, only for them to ghost her and completely remove her from their lives one day for no reason? That is an Asian thing as well LOL. If there is conflict in a friendship or relationship and the other party gets tired of it or thinks that nothing beneficial is left for them, they will just turn around and leave without another word.
Its sad when they’re always looking to flex but a lot of them have crazy debt. They don’t even know why they like the brand or what to look for, they simply like it because people recognize the brands. They live off of other people’s opinions and there’s rarely any individualism when it comes to expression.
one of the things I hate about rich Asians, a lot of them just blindly ape whatever europeans do, to the point where they actually do it 10x more than euros Intelligent rich people don't buy expensive brands, and if they do spend a lot of money on clothes it'll be for the material or a custom tailored fit.
@@AKu-xs5vg Just to reinforce my argument, they mostly wear tacky loud luxury brands like Gucci, Prada, LV, etc. You'll never see them wearing quieter, more discreet pieces from houses like Loro Piana or Brunello Cucinelli and such, unless they are truly wealthy individuals.
South Korea as a whole feels like a Black Mirror episode on it own lmao I know the entire world is sick and we need to do something about it, but SK feels unreal, sometimes I can’t believe the things that come out of their mouth…
Your comment is hilarious! I have to stop off there on my way back from my other destination to Japan, there's a superficial vibe to it, and the foreigners who go there increase it Ten Fold, they think that they are Kpop artists or in a K-Drama, I can only do 2-3 days Max, but Japan has different issues, it's the Titanic that they can see happening but pretend that they can't see what's happening just to keep the status quo
I’m a Korean American who moved to the states in the 1980s, and the SK of today has been said to be a futuristic cyberpunk dystopia in many ways. It’s ruled by Samsung which makes up 20% of the country’s GDP, and many of its average citizens adopted the worst traits of the materialistic west; fomo, social media validation, and superficial pretty-privilege in all sectors of life.
@@atkim122 I'd wager that the East is far more materialistic than the West, and it isn't coming from western influence. East Asian cultures focus on showcasing wealth more than the West. Just look at old traditions like 过大礼 (guo da li) in Chinese culture, and 함 (hahm) in Korea. I personally know Koreans who go into debt just to buy luxury purses and watches for their new in-laws. And then there's the older custom (still practice by a lot of Koreans) where the married couple gives a monthly "salary'" of 1k+ to their parents. There is just so much emphasis on wealth. You either have it, or go into debt pretending you do.
After giving tons of money to luxury brands, it is ridiculous to advertise the brand by wearing their products with huge emblems. I prefer to buy a products not because of the brand, but because I like the design and because they are of good quality. It's pointless to buy something just because it has a name
That's the purpose why people buy things with logos you see. They want to show to others that they are "rich" and that "I paid XXX amount for this bag". It's a "I'm better than you" or "I'm not inferior to you" kind of culture
I think the lady in pink is very realistic in her luxury purchases. As she said she keeps her items for years and in that sense it is better than buying multiples over the same time period that dont get as much use. Also certain luxe goods appreciate in value over time & can be handed down so there's isn't a total loss. There are Chanel bags selling for almost the same price used as was paid when they were brand new. Its not a lifestyle for everyone but if you can afford to, invest in quality luxury items that will stand the test of time. Unfortunately many brands no longer provide quality & encourage consumerism so you have to do your homework.
Like paying 15k for a Rolex watch? Is a Ferrari more cost effective than a regular car? No one purchases luxury items for cost effectiveness it's the opposite. It's about wasting money to prove to others you have the money to waste.
The quality of brands may be changing but the reason luxury brands were able to charge such high prices at their foundings was due to the superior quality of their products. Now many of them are able to use name recognition and marketing so like the two earlier posters said you need to do your research and chose items wisely. If you pay attention to your consuming habits you may find that you have to replace cheap goods more frequently than you would higher quality and so they end up costing more long term
I loved Korea since childhood but the route its taking right now its kinda scary, everything is becoming so superficial where people aren't separating K-pop and drama standards from reality it's INSANE, i wish the best for the few real people living there they must have a strong mindset.
한국을 걱정 해주셔서 감사합니다. 오히려 한국에는 반대로 돈이 많아도 아끼시는분도 많습니다. 개인적으로 이런것을 항상 서울에서 촬영하다보니 그런것같아요. 저는 울산이라는 동네에 살고있고 집안이 부족함없이 지냈습니다. 아버지는 항상 그러십니다. 사람이 명품이 아닌데 명품을 왜 입냐고 물어보십니다. 저희같은 가정도 많을거 같아요.
@@jiminswriter4209 of course things aren’t exactly the same as media will show, but I’m ngl statistics don’t lie 😅 there’s a reason why foreigners are often shocked by some korean norms
@@_.soymilkIn studies based on statistics, the important thing is the interpretation of these results. The numbers can be manipulated, but even if this is not the case, these results are subject to the bias of each researcher.
Surprised there wasn't any questions asking if this luxury brand culture and looking at others is a bad thing in Korea. As we know they value monetary things a lot in Korea and need to show it to others.
In other words, it is called "validation!" Hah, skip that, if a person(s) is that "insecure" then that's so Sad and Stressful. You would Always want to know what others are thinking about you! Skip that! All the Friendship you'll receive will be Superficial! Don't do that to Yourselves! Be around those who see you as a Real person with character! Don't follow that Crowd! Seek out those who are Real and are Smart who look @ you as a Person! Those are Real Friends! Not Stressful either! 🦊🐾🌅🌺🦋🦩💗
As a Korean Canadian who was born in Korea and lived there for 10 years before coming here, I feel quite sad that so many Koreans are like this. 7-8 out of 10 people seem to spend a great deal of money to buy very few things. I can understand if the majority of citizens are rich enough to buy luxury brand - note the word LUXURY - but we know this isn't the case. So how are they coming up with all this money? Debt, or forego buying more necessary things in life. Korea is dying slowly one superficiality at a time.
Debt. Also I'm you but grew up in the U.S. There's a term in Korean called soybean paste (dwen-jang) ladies. She who instagrams herself drinking $7 coffees at aesthetic Hongdae cafes while strategically placing her Louis purse on the chair across from her so its captured in the shot. Yet subsists on a dinner of rice and soybean paste stew that she eats by herself in her one room apartment. It's all smoke and mirrors and done for the superficial validation from online strangers. I'm 100% positive there are more introspective, self-aware, low-key Koreans (often in healthier financial standing) living amongst them but to no surprise they're not the ones garnering attention and being stopped for street interviews.
It's ridiculous. How can you pretend to know about Korea when you only lived in Korea until your third year of elementary school? 7-80% of people in Korea go into debt to buy luxury goods? It's so ridiculous that it's not even worth replying to. Low-income people in Korea enjoy all of these things, such as security, fast service, infrastructure, medical care, and home heating systems. But are you saying that Koreans cannot buy the necessities of life and spend on luxury goods? From my point of view, a society where people don't wear luxury goods because they are afraid of crime looks more like a dead society.
When I was in college, I once left an expensive external hard drive in the school library. And I recognized it after a month. I thought it was stolen because the library doesn't have cctv. But when I went to the library, no one stole it. Also, I've lost my wallet several times, but someone always brought it to the police station to find it. Do you think this society is superficial?
@@user-cnksi223 I'm not here to criticize Korea as I don't have direct experience of it but uour comments don't make any sense, your logic is completely flawed. What you say has nothing to do with the obsession for flexing luxury and exteriority.
@@AglajaEos 1. I refuted this article because it is far from the facts. that's really nonsense 2. The high morality of Koreans cannot be explained if Koreans are really as superficial and materialistic as you say. Even if I leave my laptop worth millions of won in a place without cctv, I don't worry too much about someone stealing it. Did you get my point?
I live in Bangkok and the shopping mall that sell knock offs in city center has staff that speaks Korean since so many Koreans buys knock off. I remember when I lived in Seoul in late 1990's and early 2000's it was easy to find high quality knock offs in one high rise shopping mall in Myung Dong or in some small spaces in the high rise arcades in Dong day moon. Then in the 2010's all those shops disappeared since the police kept cracking down on them. Actually the knock offs in Bangkok come from HK Taiwan and from Mainland China. It has gotten to the point that staff from the high end malls even in Bangkok who have staff from abroad working can't distinguish. My Korean friend got a Dior book tote (with the Paris map on it) and when she continued on her trip to Europe had gone into Dior shops in Milan, Barcelona and even one in Paris and they didn't know it was a fake. LV is the most common fake product around the world and staff from the boutique told me....high end customers don't need to show off labels...subtle is the highest form of flattery....loud labels streams fake.
Most young koreans live with their parents or 전세, so they afford it. I live in Vancouver and my rent is $2500. When I say that I pay that much for rent they say I am crazy and overspending. Also, cost of living is double. I want to buy luxury but I can’t. Also, one foreigner asks me “I saw k drama, Korean buy a designer bag with a credit card debt. Is this real?” In Korea, credit card companies offer up to 6 months interests free. (0% promotional interest rates is very normal) Korean don’t pay 20% interests to buy a bag. I am quite sure that Koreans save more than Canadians. Also, many Koreans give allowance to parents every month. I feel that Canadians are spending more on home Renos or home decor. Wood kitchen cabinets and hard wood floorings also have color trends.
Koreans seem to have a knack for adopting foreign concepts but making it more extra. North Koreans took Marxist ideologies, but rather than becoming Scandinavia, turned their country into a dynastic cult of personality dictatorship . South Koreans took western capitalism and turned it into a Black Mirror episode. Not saying everything they adopted is bad though. Korean Fried Chicken, kpop, and the aesthetically-pleasing cafe culture of Seoul - at least with these they outdid the doers.
You're right.. I'm tired of that too But it's also true that, as a Korean, I don't understand the slow pace of work and the lack of enthusiasm and ambition of Canadians. I want to live in Canada when I'm old, but I don't want to live there now when I'm young.
@@atkim122 Yeah , I totally agree with you, good point. It is a country I admire, its achievements in tech , rich culture , they have the edge on so many stuff, but this thing they got with beauty standards and luxury items is weird
The majority and average Koreans are not rich and don’t own luxury items. But just like in every country, there’s rich and poor people and people who buy out of their means. Many people in the US also buy luxury items just to flex even though they don’t have the money for it. Some of the people interviewed here like the woman are clearly rich so they can afford these stuff.
lol it's Seoul bias. tons of these interviews you see influencers and TH-camrs doing about Korea is all just Seoul based. wish more would go outside and interview non-Seoul Koreans lol. I lived in Busan for 5 years and prefer it way more, people felt slightly less superficial at least hahaha
15K a rolex....that could be my downpayment for a condo here in Montreal. Dang this is ridiculous. If it really and genuinely makes them happy...good otherwise they are just "keeping with the joneses" Great topic bro!
You can sell it in few days as the price you bought or more. So Rolex is not considered that ridiculous(that is reason why real riches are leaving Rolex these days. it became a method for young people who want to make money without working). You can own Rolex and sell it when you get bored and make pretty good extra money 😂
I guess at the end of the day, it's all relative to your income level too. If you make 150k-200k a year, which is quite common nowadays, a 15k watch isn't all that much.
I’ve seen a woman in Japan wear no brand clothes but had a complete set of the less popular Van cleef and arpel jewelry set while riding the subway. Her bag was stylish but no discernible logo. Her jewelry alone was worth easily 100k usd. Blew my fucken mind!
This behavior is actually NOT materialism. Materialism would be preferring real leather over fake, or cotton over polyester. AKA actual material differences. Luxury brands are not highly priced because of their material, they're highly priced because of the brandname recognition. So these people are not materialistic, they are status-worshipping.
noun: materialism 1. a tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important than spiritual values. "they hated the sinful materialism of the wicked city"
With social media it probably influenced more people to buy to look rich. Also, since most people can’t buy cars, houses it’s a way to show that you are successful.
This video is in Gangnam, a very wealthy part of Korea. He is interviewing a handful of individuals. Not everything can be generalized from such a small sample.
I'm sure they are not just a handful of individuals the statistics literally say that South Koreans are the biggest luxury goods consumers in the WORLD and people in the video already confirmed that out of 10 Koreans 8 or 9 of them would have a luxury item.
@@ghadir2389 yeah, this is kind of 'prejudice' confirmed by 'statistics'. All arguments and discussions about it must start from the statistics from the first place either by admitting or refuting it.
This is just a side effect of Korea's capitalism. It comes once the economic development starts to speed, which we can see in Korea's economic history. Its similar to China's obsession with luxurious goods. US went through it too. If you look at where all these luxury brands are moving to now, many are opening their stores in Korea and other countries like Thailand. Because they know that is where their new consumer concentration is. Its also supported by social media in a great deal, with the flexing and show off culture. They are not buying them for the quality as the quality of luxurious goods has decreased substantially in the last 2 decades. They are buying it for the brand's name. You care about quality? Go to the small craftmanship stores in specialized countries. For example, good leather quality bags can be bought in many cities in Italy for half the price or less than a chanel bag. In the end, this is just another perfect example of the side effects of global capitalism.
Interesting that people say they buy things because they look pretty. Its a lot of things that look pretty, but arent luxury. Is it the luxury fantasy that makes them pretty? What happened if the same items they bought now didnt have the luxury name? Would they still buy it or would they buy something else that has a luxury name?
@drinkalldayy Not sure what point you're trying to make, but im not really knowledgeable with Chinese brand cars. I googled some and some Chinese cars look just as bad as some of the Benz cars and Porsche trucks. Honestly more Benz and Porsches look better than Chinese cars.
@drinkalldayyI love Chinese car good value of money , I love to use the cheap stuff because don't need to take care much if getting old just donate to housekeeping or homeless
I don't envy the person who has the most expensive outfits in the world. but I can't help but be jealous of the person who look over the world deeper with big heart. ( mostly they read more than me ) So I read one more book, feel like satisfied as kinda one step further. Meaningless approach tho. I understand those who are obsessed with luxurious brands. One step further to their happiness and satisfaction. Anyways, let us live on our each way - one step further to each own happiness. Maybe if luxurious brands can lead to even just a tad bit satisfcation, it might be the easiest way to buy the happiness. :->
So did the Japanese in the late 80's and early 90's. Italian and French brands were selling like hot cakes, and young people wearing Swiss watches were driving foreign and domestic luxury cars. Young people at that time probably wanted to show themselves well even if they forced themselves to do so. After 2000, this phenomenon gradually declined. Today, young people are living their own lives. Some people like luxury brands, but it's much less.
There was a time long ago when clothes were beautiful and didn’t sport the logo of the brand as a necessary value. You knew if a piece had the fit, the fabric, the design it would be by a good designer. But I honestly don’t think it was about cost, primarily. It was about creativity beautiful materials and your own brand of aesthetic. When you say luxury don’t you really mean status? Fashion should make you iconic, not like everyone else. Not even better than anyone else. Unique. You can buy Hermes or Chanel or Alexander McQueen or whatever, but can you wear it well? Can you own it or does it own you? Fashion is art. Materialism is, on some level, mediocrity. It can reduce the beauty of a Rolex if that’s why you’re wearing one. Weird comment. Just thinking out loud. Here’s another thought. The guitar player had more charisma than the others. And you can’t buy that. Unless it’s the guitar…
First of all, it's not just Korea, I've seen the same obsession in Japan a few decades ago and in China now. I saw Japanese high school girls and OLs saying on Japanese TV that they date with old men for money to buy Fendi and Prada bags. I think the steam dissipated in Japan because of the weak economy/yen and a long period of no economic growth. In my opinion, I think east Asian culture is built on a group/community mentality vs. individualistic value in western society, and east Asians constantly compare themselves to their peer and try to belong by conforming to certain standard. I was born and raised in Korea, but I always felt that I am an odd duck because of that reason and migrated to the states 20 years ago. Now I live in the mid-west and most people here don't take care of themselves very well (appearance wise) and I'll look like a sloppy country bumpkin when I visit Korea. Here in the mid-west, It's really rare that I see someone who look very put together at work and in my community, so it's really low peer pressure living here. Most clothing brands offer ill-fitting clothes made with cheap materials that will last just a season. Having a low bar and being care free feels totally liberating. However, I do think it's also important to take care of your appearance and being put together as you age for the same reasons we wear power suits and dress up for the job you want when we want to feel confident. Western societies also value looking certain ways depending on the community you belong. You just don't see it everyday, if you are not part of the group or don't care. Many Americans also splurge on pretentious/luxury items and plastic surgeries like breast and hip vs. facial surgeries in Asia. It's just different preference and choices, but still image/appearance driven obsession the way I see it. I know many people who make lower end six figures drive around in porche and buy exotic cars, have country club membership, etc. here in my neighborhood. I see many judgmental comments here, and I think those people always comment to hear themselves, not to understand and learn. The societies are built differently and people adapt to their environment, nobody's superior or innately better.
Paying a premium for downgraded materials is not a wise expense. That is the case for many luxury brands, might as well purchase bespoke goods from a quality artisan for the same price point
"The things you own end up owning you." "We buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don't like." Best quotes in the movie fight club
Jerry bro please drop some insight on your style, you have the best fashion sense. It's stylish but not too over the top or too feminine like certain male fashion trends.
@@tonykim3033 high amount of bullying, plastic surgery, racism, classism, suicide rates, slave contracts, corruption (look at past leaders jail), low birth rate, unemployment issues, long pointless working hours, etc. But they sacrifice for greater good so it's k.
When your future is working for the big companies for live and yet can't afford housing. People tend to caring more to themselves and do what makes then happy. Luxury goods is one of them.
In order to understand the luxury goods craze in Korea, it is necessary to first understand the evolution of the Korean economy and the desire for consumption. From the mid-1980s to recent years, Koreans' consumption of luxury goods has changed in various aspects according to social trends. Why do Koreans love luxury goods? Is it because they have a strong desire to show off? Too much vanity? It is an anachronistic idea to regard Koreans' love for luxury goods as simply 'materialistic' and 'superficial'. Luxury goods are not essential goods for human survival. In other words, the meaning of luxury is socially constructed. An object may be a luxury item in one society, but not a luxury item in another. After all, in order to understand luxury consumption, it is necessary to understand the society. The growth of the Korean luxury goods market is not irrelevant to the trend of globalization. Until the 1970s, Korea strictly restricted imports of foreign goods through high tariff barriers. It was difficult to purchase foreign goods, including luxury goods. It was a time when even US-made peanut butter was difficult to find. However, things changed before and after the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Tariffs on the import of clothing and shoes have been significantly eased, and foreign brands have entered Korea en masse. In 1984, Louis Vuitton entered Lotte Duty Free for the first time. In 1991, Louis Vuitton Korea, a Korean branch, was launched. As Koreans' suppressed desires were released, the demand for luxury items exploded as if to compensate for the time they didn't know about luxury goods. In particular, the opening of the Galleria Department Store’s luxury goods store in Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam, Seoul in 1990 marked a watershed in luxury consumption. Starting with various overseas luxury brands entering the Galleria Luxury Hall, flagship stores of foreign luxury brands opened one after another around Apgujeong-dong. Apgujeong Rodeo Street has become a shopping hideout for the wealthy in Gangnam, and has emerged as a sacred place for the “Orange people,” who enjoy foreign luxury goods and drive luxury cars.
Another catalyst that increased interest in luxury goods in Korea was the liberalization of overseas travel. It's hard to believe now, but until the early 1980s, passports were not issued at all for departures from Korea for pure travel purposes. Only those with special purposes such as business trips, study abroad, or employment were allowed to leave the country. However, as overseas travel was fully liberalized in 1989, the number of outbound travelers exceeded 1 million for the first time that year. During this period, Koreans visited the Mecca of the fashion industry, such as Paris and Milan, and opened their eyes to the world of luxury goods. But most of all, for luxury goods to sell well, consumers' purchasing power must be supported. From the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s, the Korean economy was booming, with per capita income rapidly increasing. In 1980, Korea's per capita gross national income (GNI) was only $1,870, but in 1994 it broke through $10,000. From the mid-1980s to the late 1990s, right before the Asian financial crisis hit, the rate of increase in per capita gross national income recorded double digits every year. In 1988, when the Seoul Olympics were held, per capita gross national income increased by 28% compared to the previous year. In other words, the luxury craze in Korean society that began in the 1990s was the result of collaboration between suppressed desire and economic power. However, the IMF financial crisis that hit at the end of 1997 instantly put cold water on the craze for luxury goods. It was a time when individuals tightened their belts to make the country rich and strong again. People even donated all the gold pieces in their homes to the country, saying they would pay off the country's debt. Individual consumption behavior was thoroughly judged from the perspective of “patriotism,” and overconsumption was, of course, regarded as a sin. Ironically, in the process of overcoming the IMF foreign exchange crisis, the luxury goods market faces a new turning point as the government overdoes issuing credit cards to stimulate the economy and stimulate consumption.
Indiscriminate card issuance soon led to a mass production of credit delinquents, leading to the so-called credit card crisis. The number of credit card-related credit delinquents increased from 800,000 at the end of 2000 to 1.49 million at the end of 2002. The middle class, which had been leading the popularization of luxury consumption through the IMF financial crisis and credit card crisis, suffered a significant blow, but ironically, as the rich and the poor deepened, the purchasing power of the upper class further increased. The luxury goods market went through a correction phase for a while, but it was able to revitalize because someone else was able to accumulate more wealth when someone fell into a credit default. Rather, these series of events made people more honest with their desires by learning the heartless nature of capitalism. It was a harsh time when they learned painfully that what protects ‘existence’ is ‘money’ after all. At this point, it seems clear that Koreans' obsession with luxury goods cannot be explained simply by vanity. Vanity is a universal emotion and desire of mankind. If we rely on vanity to explain the explosion of demand and supply for luxury goods in one society, it is difficult to explain why it is different from other societies. A general explanation of luxury goods can be found in what Thorstein Veblen calls ‘conspicuous consumption’. At the end of the 19th century, when emerging wealthy people appeared due to rapid industrialization, conspicuous consumption acted as a sign of the upper class that did not have to work. For them, the exorbitantly expensive the goods were, the better it was to show their class. The desire of the upper class to distinguish themselves from the common people is well explained through Pierre Bourdieu's concept of 'distinction'. According to Bourdieu, cultural taste is not a result of personal choice based on autonomous will, but a structural product reflecting the status between classes. Their preference for golf over soccer, wine over soju, and classical music over popular music reflects their desire to place themselves in the upper class and to differentiate themselves from the common people. The desire for conspicuous consumption or differentiation is a very natural phenomenon for humans. Some societies morally brand it as vanity, others justify it as a sign of success. Korea has been in the former for a long time. This reflects the unique cultural context of Korean society. Experts point to excessive ethical criticism of overconsumption as one of the points that differentiates luxury consumption in Korea from other countries.
Until luxury goods become a craze in a society, the unique political, economic, and cultural structures of that society work in a complex way. Then, what kind of social reality does the luxury craze in Korea contain today? The first thing to consider is the change in the demographic structure. Korea is currently facing a serious low birth rate problem. As of 2021, Korea's total fertility rate is 0.81. In other words, the number of children a woman will give birth to in her lifetime is less than one. Not having children means more disposable income for you. In the same context, Korea's low birth rate is likely to increase consumption for oneself instead of reducing spending or saving for raising children. In addition to this, the increasing percentage of unmarried or non-married young people also affects luxury consumption. Having no family to support means increased consumption for oneself. If you are single living with your parents, your disposable income for yourself will increase even more. It is worth noting that the MZ generation is leading the recent craze for luxury goods in Korea. In 2021, customers in their 20s and 30s accounted for 48.7% of all luxury sales at Hyundai Department Store. Luxury goods are no longer something that can be enjoyed only after achieving economic stability, but have become items that newcomers to society buy with their monthly wages. Rising real estate prices are also related. If getting married in their 20s, having children, and saving money to buy a house was the life path of ordinary people, young people no longer have such a dream. Buying a house worth hundreds of millions or billions of won has become an impossible dream for a lifetime, and saving or investing for the future has become meaningless. If your life is only ‘collecting dust’, it is wise to enjoy the present. In that respect, the luxury consumption of the MZ generation may contain pessimism about the future. Of course, luxury consumption still has the function of satisfying the desire to show off. However, if luxury goods are simply a matter of luxury or vanity, it is difficult to explain the different trends in luxury consumption in different countries. In addition, overly ethically condemning human beings' natural desire to be distinguished from others may be excessive interference with individual consumption behavior. Understanding luxury goods is perhaps also understanding the society. If the historical path of our society had been different, the pattern of luxury consumption might have been completely different.
I liked the guy without the luxury item the most lol .Id only say dont worry about getting up enough money to buy the luxury item ( clothing wise) in the future. There are way more important things than items to look luxurious😂. Plus ppl with style can look amazing in good affordable things.
Luxury design houses are there to keep the working class just that instead of helping them become wealthy. Instead of investing in the future, they are made to believe having designer items give you clout. The reality is far different and it’s something I wish I had known in my early 20’s.
Just because you buy luxury goods doesn't mean you're not investing for the future. They're not mutually exclusive. But the caveat is how good you are at managing your finance and diversifying your income to withstand inflation and grow your saving for retirement. Sounds like what you should've learn in your early 20's is financial literacy.
Omg that guy gifted his mother an Hermès scarf which is the same price as my rent 😅 when I hear these prices I’m just thinking I could use that for a nice trip or so many nice dinners. I have a few LV and Gucci SLG’s but that’s it and while I don’t regret buying them I probably wouldn’t repurchase them when they’re worn out.
5:11 actually that lv bag’s quality must’ve been very good if she could use it for 20 years…! I do wonder if the LVs nowadays have such good quality for its price
The most impactful fact I discovered about the mentality that motivates their high standard of external beauty & style is that they actually interpret looking pretty & stylish as being POLITE and well mannered. It’s similar to keeping your house and your front yard well mowed and appealing for the sake of the neighbor’s (and those who pass by) viewing pleasure. Therefore showing up unmade up and dressed carelessly are actually considered rude in Korea. I have heard Koreans commenting how rude (and lazy) it is to not make the necessary effort to look one’s best. It’s a very different mentality where I live. Dressing casually and looking natural are not frowned upon and are promoted where I love. I do enjoy having no pressure to dress up, but of course there’s a downside to everything good: I would get too much stares when I dress very stylish & sophisticated.
This is really eye opening to watch. However, brands like Chanel have really decreased in quality and one is just paying for engineered luxury, as Tanner Leatherstein said.
I buy luxury item because of the style shape and check the composition. I mainly buy vintage shoes they are so much better and are often very different in style to the regular made in India and China shoes
I guess if you own a house with no mortgage, a car with no payments and have a retirement funded and 6 months cash living expenses its ok to have a couple items.
The most interesting thing for me in korea is the huge interest in the opinion of other, even strangers, opinion. I have a lot of discussions with korean friends about it and still I'm not able to relate. I couldn't care less about something compared to the opinion of the society..
I think basically Korean love to show off wether their belonging, their children’s achievement, social status, etc. When you don’t have things like others you feel left out. While in my country, there are people like that but excessive showing off and feeling jealous of others’ belonging is considered bad attitude to community and religion, so personally I don’t feel pressured at all
As someone who owns some designer pieces (some of which have been passed down from relatives), I’ve noticed that the quality of some brands has gone down and is not the same as they were before. Regardless of whether it’s cheap or not, I do my research before I go about buying something. If I do decide to get something from an expensive brand, its usually very minimal in terms of design, practical, and not for the sake of following trends. I try to get it second hand. That way, I don’t have to pay the full retail price for it and it gives me peace of mind that I will be putting someone’s rarely used item to good use.
Очень хотелось бы чтобы cameraman держал объектив ровнее или использовал стабилизатор, картинка постоянно моргает и дергается, сложно смотреть (если включаешь видео не на фон конечно) ну и монтаж было бы здорово сделать ровнее, чтобы склейка была менее заметной Мне нравятся видео, но в них есть что улучшить
My fiancée and I went to South Korea for a vacation and I was honestly surprised seeing all the expensive brands cuz I’m just an individual who does most of my clothes shopping on Amazon when clothes are on deal. Also Ross another cheap option.
If almost everyone has luxury items then it almost seems to me as if they’re just common items priced exorbitantly. It has lost its exclusivity, you can get them as an average joe. The prestige of owning a luxury item is pretty much a made up perception, or a half-truth that many ppl love to indulge in, which is sad. In reality, how many ppl in SK struggle to buy a house and live from paycheck to paycheck?
In my country, you are considered wealthy if you have a house and car. Clothes don't matter, actually wearing blatant luxury items make you look desperate.
Why is no one talking about how pretty the lady in pink is! She give Seo Yea Ji vibes! I would have thought she was in her early thirties oldest even if she had a lot of good skincare and “treatments” I wouldn’t have expected her to be in her 40s! I love her clothes too! She makes me want to buy gentle monster sunglasses, she looks so good in them❤
Its interesting that Korea represents both the best and worst parts of the Sinosphere culture. You have a safe society, well organized cities, disciplined people, but at the same time, extremely hiarchial society, bureaucratic gonvernment; while materialism and lookism are over the roof.
Because the most import things to a Korean/most Asians are 1. Money Money Money 2. Beauty 3. What the rest of sociaty thinks about them. 4. Profession 5. Health 6. Family 7. Friends.
Yes that LV bag 20 yrs ago is lasting long as they were considered more of "classic pieces".. now all these flavor of the month collections are gonna look outdated in a few seasons...
It’s strange as people with money in western world who are cultured turn to quality and even chic minimal, they wouldn’t be seen with labels etc. that’s why they said designer brands are marketed for poor people to look rich. Truly Rich people don’t need to impress anyone and labels are tacky.
I've never thought that buying luxury goods is so criticized and incomprehensible, but the comments are very strange. I don't have luxury goods, but I don't care what other people buy. When I went on a trip to the United States, I thought why there are so many obese people in the United States who don't diet. But nowhere did they say it was wrong for them to gain weight. it's their life
The quality of luxury items has decreased dramatically in the last two decades. These days, you only pay for the name, not its durability. Planned obsolescence is a real thing.
That's pretty much it... Sometimes the quality is proportional to the price...
But in this IG filter society, who the hell cares about quality as long as you can see the logo popping out...
A lot of Asians and Black Americans are obsessed with western luxury brands just for the namesake. Very dronelike behavior.
@@yuugen999 true
that's right. As a pragmatist, I see luxury goods as a waste of money. How ridiculous is it that the presidents of luxury brands are among the world's richest? 😂
Yes!!!
paying 1.5k for a scarf.... I can literally build my entire wardrobe from ZERO with all new clothes with that.
I'll never forget my Korean friend studying abroad in my country, and sometimes not having enough to eat except a pack of ramyeon but spending $3,000 on a dior scarf when we went to the poshest department store in my country. She was in her overdraft but her motto was classic designer things don't go out of style. Made me realize that everyone has different priorities in life...
I'm sure that scarf is cost effective 😅😅😅
@@tonykim3033 What does that mean? At least for my friend, she likes to look good so designer stuff is more of a priority.
Pues es ridículo que le "guste verse bien", por un lado, pero por otro se esté muriendo de hambre. 😆🙃
Hay mucha gente que piensa que, no es una prioridad el gastar en cosas de diseñador por que, sabiendo buscar y teniendo buen gusto, se viste bien.
I once worked for a Korean online academy, in which a guy (student) shared that he had to eat ramyun for a month because he had gifted his girlfriend an LV bag.
What a stupid motto 😂
Korean obsession with materialistic, superficial, luxury items is out of control, even as a Korean myself i always have a hard time wrapping my head around and understanding them.
So this obsession with materialistic things don't happen all over the word and it's just Korea? You ever watch the news in the USA where criminals are targeting luxury brand name stores like Louis Vuitton, Gucci etc..?
@@nancylove8360I think that in my country the obsession with materialistic things dont really show at all. But im from nordic country.
@@AL-qj9yh Unless u go to funeral or wedding where u have to be dressed nicer. Its inapproriate and unclassy to show off with some luxury clothes aka money.
@@AL-qj9yh What would he be jealous of ?
@@nancylove8360 Nowhere did the original comment explicitly state "only" Korea. He is stating an observation. In this context, USA is not relevant to his observation unless you think there is a correlation between materialism in USA and materialism in Korea. Even if there is a correlation between the spending habits of two countries, it would be quite difficult to prove causation.
Korean culture is among the most superficial in the world. That’s not a judgement, it’s just an observational fact. Appearance is what society there values.
Yeah , sure. In America you can go out in pyjamas and no one will ever bother to look at you...
Those who want to say that Korea is the most materialistic and superficial country in the world are only qualified when they come from a country where there are fewer pickpockets and street scams than Korea, and people who are more emotionally honest than Koreans.
But from my point of view, this kind of country is honestly very rare.
The only country that comes to mind right now is Taiwan only
@@cesars267yeah but they bother people who look like asian
@@cesars267Straw-manning the lowest common denominator doesn’t disprove the facts.
@@Rigdjc0183hc it's not mushi, it's a different perspective. You obviously can't see it because you're so defensive in your argument... Try seeing it from an objective point of view,. How can you disagree and say Korean society isn't overwhelmingly obsessed with superficial things? In Korea, it's normal for teenagers to get plastic surgery after graduation... That's not a worldwide thing, so of course it's shocking to the world. It won't be shocking to you because that's normal, but from a human perspective, it's completely abnormal.
The crazy thing is the real rich folks don’t really buy these things. Most “luxury” items are targeting middle class citizens. These companies just use celebrities to market their items. Their main customers are from East Asia… especially China and South Korea where they have a huge wealth gap
They still haven’t understood that 🤷🏻♀️
Exactly, they target the middle class. Those who are one foot from being rich but will never be. Those people will strive to look good just like celebrities and appear rich on order to be validated
@@Everythingz127
they target middle class and Nouveau riche, old money don't wear things with visible brand labels because that's considered tacky
@@melc4308
maybe but it's clear that they are new money when they walk around covered in more brand labels then a Nascar
Yep, i have one friend that buy a lot of Balenciaga shoes, and he thinks that he have a lot of money because he can buy this kind of brands and he talk so bad with the chinese clones but Balenciaga mades all the shoes in China, so whats the difference? 😅
I was once talking to a korean girl and she was flabbergasted when I told her that most Europeans don't buy those brands. I say this because most of the brands mentioned here are from Europe. The likes of LV, Gucci, etc are pure garbage. They are the fast food of "luxury fashion". Most of these mainstream brands are garbage and their products are made exactly the same way as the brands from China. You are paying 1000x more solely because of the name. There are only 3 brands that I would consider buying and those are Loro Piana, Brunnelo Cucinneli and Cartier. Also, just because something is expensive it definitely does not mean that it's good, like the first lady said. This, naturally, is a personal opinion, but people should definitely be aware that the mainstream "luxury" brands aren't luxury at all.
Has China eaten your lunch?
Im Korean but I couldn't agree more
Some People is really bad at figuring out the real value of things
I watched a documentary a while ago about how Koreans max out their credit cards and have a lot of debt just to own luxury items. It’s really sad to see how pressured these people feel by the society to willingly go into debt for wearing a luxury brand item.
Doesn't that happen in every other country? Sure does here in America.
If you don't mind, can you pls send me the link of the documentary?
Yes I’d like to know too. I see if I can google it. I’ll be back if I find out.
The documentary title is South Korea's Growing Household Debt if you haven't found it yet.
Can you tell me the name of that documentary
SK is getting scarier and scarier. If I lived there, I might work my butt off just to afford these useless stuff to please people.
Agreed. It'd be nice to live there for a while but I can NEVER imagine spending my entire life there.
Or you could just... not give a shit if other people are throwing their money away buying shit they don't need? I moved here about a year ago and honestly don't have a single designer item on me.
nobody’s forcing you to buy them tho
Hyper-consumerism and hyper-capitalism
What does capitalism have to do with it?
Did capitalism force them to purchase luxury items?
@@emoneygetsitin6292Capitalism is a system that depends highly on consumerism, and its strongly promoted in all society.
@katherinejimenezmatos2009 if you purchase luxury items then that is your decision. No one or nothing else is to blame.
Nothing wrong with that. Nobody lives forever and we are all going to pass one day. So indulge to your heart's content.
@@BlueSkyCountry True. But then their kids would grow up being taught to look down on poor people who can't afford luxuries. Another side effect is that people would find illegal ways to make money to buy their luxuries.
I moved to the united states when I was 7 so although I'm korean, I didn't grown up with new cultural norms. I do not own any luxury brands, I buy normal non-luxury products for my family of 5 so I have enough money to give my dad $3000 allowance per month. I wonder how many of the korean 20s-50 year olds are following the older culture of financially taking care of their parents. We are currently wearing our $10-$50 clothes right now but I was able to bring my family plus my dad to korea for a 2 month trip. We look around and there are alot of well dressed koreans which is great for them. But what will happen to them if they lose their jobs? Instead of fake dressing rich, I am more interested in fake dressing poor. If a person stood next to me, nobody would ever guess that my husband and I are the millionaires next door by looking at our $7 flip flops or our $10 tshirts
To say that 9 out of 10 people own a luxury item is to be very disconnected with the country's reality.
Agreed, he probably meant Seoul and should have clarified what life is like outside of their glamorous capital …
My friend is currently working in Korea as a postdoctoral. She even got contempt from her Korean colleagues sometimes that she look like a waitress since my friend always like to wear jeans and a T-shirt. When I heard that I really feel mad for her, I really hate this type of culture, trend, or lifestyle. Such a toxic environment to have this kind of society around you. I never want to go to study or even work in Korea. What an obsessive society. lol
She is dressed too casually if she is wearing a t-shirt and jeans unless it is a casual workplace. That doesn’t excuse contempt, but it is something she should be aware of when working in an office environment. The same is true for many countries. Doesn’t make it toxic, but there is a dress code for most companies.
@@jiminswriter4209It's not an office. If you don't know, you should firstly ASK. It's just a laboratory in her school where many postgraduate students always dress casually for experiments. Of course, if she needs to attend a conference, seminar, or an important meeting, she would wear a suit.
@@jiminswriter4209 Pff., don't make it toxic you siad. You would never know till you are in that situttion youself.
@@Mellow_Blue Well, there’s still a dress code at school, business casual.
Have she ever had people who she thought were close friends, only for them to ghost her and completely remove her from their lives one day for no reason? That is an Asian thing as well LOL. If there is conflict in a friendship or relationship and the other party gets tired of it or thinks that nothing beneficial is left for them, they will just turn around and leave without another word.
Its sad when they’re always looking to flex but a lot of them have crazy debt. They don’t even know why they like the brand or what to look for, they simply like it because people recognize the brands.
They live off of other people’s opinions and there’s rarely any individualism when it comes to expression.
one of the things I hate about rich Asians, a lot of them just blindly ape whatever europeans do, to the point where they actually do it 10x more than euros
Intelligent rich people don't buy expensive brands, and if they do spend a lot of money on clothes it'll be for the material or a custom tailored fit.
@@AKu-xs5vg Just to reinforce my argument, they mostly wear tacky loud luxury brands like Gucci, Prada, LV, etc. You'll never see them wearing quieter, more discreet pieces from houses like Loro Piana or Brunello Cucinelli and such, unless they are truly wealthy individuals.
@@wsupwitit Same S**t.
@@AKu-xs5vgYou nailed it. -From a well educated wealthy Korean American
South Korea as a whole feels like a Black Mirror episode on it own lmao I know the entire world is sick and we need to do something about it, but SK feels unreal, sometimes I can’t believe the things that come out of their mouth…
Your comment is hilarious! I have to stop off there on my way back from my other destination to Japan, there's a superficial vibe to it, and the foreigners who go there increase it Ten Fold, they think that they are Kpop artists or in a K-Drama, I can only do 2-3 days Max, but Japan has different issues, it's the Titanic that they can see happening but pretend that they can't see what's happening just to keep the status quo
I’m a Korean American who moved to the states in the 1980s, and the SK of today has been said to be a futuristic cyberpunk dystopia in many ways. It’s ruled by Samsung which makes up 20% of the country’s GDP, and many of its average citizens adopted the worst traits of the materialistic west; fomo, social media validation, and superficial pretty-privilege in all sectors of life.
@@atkim122 I'd wager that the East is far more materialistic than the West, and it isn't coming from western influence. East Asian cultures focus on showcasing wealth more than the West. Just look at old traditions like 过大礼 (guo da li) in Chinese culture, and 함 (hahm) in Korea. I personally know Koreans who go into debt just to buy luxury purses and watches for their new in-laws. And then there's the older custom (still practice by a lot of Koreans) where the married couple gives a monthly "salary'" of 1k+ to their parents. There is just so much emphasis on wealth. You either have it, or go into debt pretending you do.
This right here,IS THE COMMENT! Lol. My gosh!
@@atkim122 Dude , I feel you, you're better off in America , trust me
After giving tons of money to luxury brands, it is ridiculous to advertise the brand by wearing their products with huge emblems. I prefer to buy a products not because of the brand, but because I like the design and because they are of good quality. It's pointless to buy something just because it has a name
yeah, it's acting as a sponsor without actually being sponsored by the brand haha
That's the purpose why people buy things with logos you see. They want to show to others that they are "rich" and that "I paid XXX amount for this bag". It's a "I'm better than you" or "I'm not inferior to you" kind of culture
Me too, I prefer to wear the quiet luxury and go for the design, and general quality, feel.
I think the lady in pink is very realistic in her luxury purchases. As she said she keeps her items for years and in that sense it is better than buying multiples over the same time period that dont get as much use. Also certain luxe goods appreciate in value over time & can be handed down so there's isn't a total loss. There are Chanel bags selling for almost the same price used as was paid when they were brand new. Its not a lifestyle for everyone but if you can afford to, invest in quality luxury items that will stand the test of time. Unfortunately many brands no longer provide quality & encourage consumerism so you have to do your homework.
I agree. You invest in a few chic luxury items that you've really thought out and then you use them for years.
Like paying 15k for a Rolex watch?
Is a Ferrari more cost effective than a regular car?
No one purchases luxury items for cost effectiveness it's the opposite. It's about wasting money to prove to others you have the money to waste.
The quality of brands may be changing but the reason luxury brands were able to charge such high prices at their foundings was due to the superior quality of their products. Now many of them are able to use name recognition and marketing so like the two earlier posters said you need to do your research and chose items wisely.
If you pay attention to your consuming habits you may find that you have to replace cheap goods more frequently than you would higher quality and so they end up costing more long term
@@MaidaseuRolex actually appreciate in value so that is a good purchase
These high volume seasonal pieces are not appreciating like they did way back in the day when these brands used to make very small collections.
I loved Korea since childhood but the route its taking right now its kinda scary, everything is becoming so superficial where people aren't separating K-pop and drama standards from reality it's INSANE, i wish the best for the few real people living there they must have a strong mindset.
That is the story a lot of outsiders would like to create, but it is not the reality.
한국을 걱정 해주셔서 감사합니다.
오히려 한국에는 반대로 돈이 많아도 아끼시는분도 많습니다. 개인적으로 이런것을 항상 서울에서 촬영하다보니 그런것같아요. 저는 울산이라는 동네에 살고있고 집안이 부족함없이 지냈습니다. 아버지는 항상 그러십니다. 사람이 명품이 아닌데 명품을 왜 입냐고 물어보십니다. 저희같은 가정도 많을거 같아요.
@@jiminswriter4209 of course things aren’t exactly the same as media will show, but I’m ngl statistics don’t lie 😅 there’s a reason why foreigners are often shocked by some korean norms
@@_.soymilk And Koreans are shocked when they go overseas and have to worry so much about pickpocketing, crime, etc.
@@_.soymilkIn studies based on statistics, the important thing is the interpretation of these results. The numbers can be manipulated, but even if this is not the case, these results are subject to the bias of each researcher.
Surprised there wasn't any questions asking if this luxury brand culture and looking at others is a bad thing in Korea. As we know they value monetary things a lot in Korea and need to show it to others.
In other words, it is called "validation!" Hah, skip that, if a person(s) is that "insecure" then that's so Sad and Stressful. You would Always want to know what others are thinking about you! Skip that! All the Friendship you'll receive will be Superficial! Don't do that to Yourselves! Be around those who see you as a Real person with character! Don't follow that Crowd! Seek out those who are Real and are Smart who look @ you as a Person! Those are Real Friends! Not Stressful either! 🦊🐾🌅🌺🦋🦩💗
그런거없음
As a Korean Canadian who was born in Korea and lived there for 10 years before coming here, I feel quite sad that so many Koreans are like this. 7-8 out of 10 people seem to spend a great deal of money to buy very few things. I can understand if the majority of citizens are rich enough to buy luxury brand - note the word LUXURY - but we know this isn't the case. So how are they coming up with all this money? Debt, or forego buying more necessary things in life.
Korea is dying slowly one superficiality at a time.
Debt. Also I'm you but grew up in the U.S. There's a term in Korean called soybean paste (dwen-jang) ladies. She who instagrams herself drinking $7 coffees at aesthetic Hongdae cafes while strategically placing her Louis purse on the chair across from her so its captured in the shot. Yet subsists on a dinner of rice and soybean paste stew that she eats by herself in her one room apartment. It's all smoke and mirrors and done for the superficial validation from online strangers.
I'm 100% positive there are more introspective, self-aware, low-key Koreans (often in healthier financial standing) living amongst them but to no surprise they're not the ones garnering attention and being stopped for street interviews.
It's ridiculous. How can you pretend to know about Korea when you only lived in Korea until your third year of elementary school? 7-80% of people in Korea go into debt to buy luxury goods?
It's so ridiculous that it's not even worth replying to.
Low-income people in Korea enjoy all of these things, such as security, fast service, infrastructure, medical care, and home heating systems.
But are you saying that Koreans cannot buy the necessities of life and spend on luxury goods?
From my point of view, a society where people don't wear luxury goods because they are afraid of crime looks more like a dead society.
When I was in college, I once left an expensive external hard drive in the school library.
And I recognized it after a month.
I thought it was stolen because the library doesn't have cctv.
But when I went to the library, no one stole it.
Also, I've lost my wallet several times, but someone always brought it to the police station to find it.
Do you think this society is superficial?
@@user-cnksi223 I'm not here to criticize Korea as I don't have direct experience of it but uour comments don't make any sense, your logic is completely flawed. What you say has nothing to do with the obsession for flexing luxury and exteriority.
@@AglajaEos 1. I refuted this article because it is far from the facts. that's really nonsense
2. The high morality of Koreans cannot be explained if Koreans are really as superficial and materialistic as you say.
Even if I leave my laptop worth millions of won in a place without cctv, I don't worry too much about someone stealing it.
Did you get my point?
I live in Bangkok and the shopping mall that sell knock offs in city center has staff that speaks Korean since so many Koreans buys knock off. I remember when I lived in Seoul in late 1990's and early 2000's it was easy to find high quality knock offs in one high rise shopping mall in Myung Dong or in some small spaces in the high rise arcades in Dong day moon. Then in the 2010's all those shops disappeared since the police kept cracking down on them. Actually the knock offs in Bangkok come from HK Taiwan and from Mainland China. It has gotten to the point that staff from the high end malls even in Bangkok who have staff from abroad working can't distinguish. My Korean friend got a Dior book tote (with the Paris map on it) and when she continued on her trip to Europe had gone into Dior shops in Milan, Barcelona and even one in Paris and they didn't know it was a fake. LV is the most common fake product around the world and staff from the boutique told me....high end customers don't need to show off labels...subtle is the highest form of flattery....loud labels streams fake.
Most young koreans live with their parents or 전세, so they afford it. I live in Vancouver and my rent is $2500. When I say that I pay that much for rent they say I am crazy and overspending. Also, cost of living is double. I want to buy luxury but I can’t.
Also, one foreigner asks me “I saw k drama, Korean buy a designer bag with a credit card debt. Is this real?”
In Korea, credit card companies offer up to 6 months interests free. (0% promotional interest rates is very normal) Korean don’t pay 20% interests to buy a bag.
I am quite sure that Koreans save more than Canadians. Also, many Koreans give allowance to parents every month. I feel that Canadians are spending more on home Renos or home decor. Wood kitchen cabinets and hard wood floorings also have color trends.
This is a great point, it puts things into perspective. I wish we wouldn’t point fingers so quickly.
Rent in Vancouver has skyrocketed, I lived there once , too expensive these days...
Rent saved alone is enough to buy a luxury bag or two every month
Sheesh - my 1bd rent in San Francisco is $6k/month.
@@1970rscwhich neighborhood in SF?
could you please film more of “what do you do for a living” in rich areas🥰🥰🥰
Every answer: I work for Samsung
@@Maidaseudoes working for Samsung pay well? i'm honestly curious because i have no idea 🤔
The guy with the guitar has a down to earth aura and is very good looking!
Here in Canada people don't give a damn about luxury items .
Yup fax. As a korean I’m so sick of it.
Koreans seem to have a knack for adopting foreign concepts but making it more extra. North Koreans took Marxist ideologies, but rather than becoming Scandinavia, turned their country into a dynastic cult of personality dictatorship . South Koreans took western capitalism and turned it into a Black Mirror episode.
Not saying everything they adopted is bad though. Korean Fried Chicken, kpop, and the aesthetically-pleasing cafe culture of Seoul - at least with these they outdid the doers.
You're right.. I'm tired of that too
But it's also true that, as a Korean, I don't understand the slow pace of work and the lack of enthusiasm and ambition of Canadians.
I want to live in Canada when I'm old, but I don't want to live there now when I'm young.
@@atkim122 Yeah , I totally agree with you, good point. It is a country I admire, its achievements in tech , rich culture , they have the edge on so many stuff, but this thing they got with beauty standards and luxury items is weird
Idk in Toronto a portion do whether in Yorkville or the neighbourhood I grew up and lived in.
Proof that Korea is a safe place if you can just casually roll call your drip like that without fear of getting robbed. 😄
Don't bet on it.
ATTENZIONE PICKPOCKET!!!
Is that all you got from the video?
Fear of being "ignored and passed over for looking poor" is bigger than the Fear of getting robbed
@Korea is very safe.
The majority and average Koreans are not rich and don’t own luxury items. But just like in every country, there’s rich and poor people and people who buy out of their means. Many people in the US also buy luxury items just to flex even though they don’t have the money for it. Some of the people interviewed here like the woman are clearly rich so they can afford these stuff.
lol it's Seoul bias. tons of these interviews you see influencers and TH-camrs doing about Korea is all just Seoul based. wish more would go outside and interview non-Seoul Koreans lol. I lived in Busan for 5 years and prefer it way more, people felt slightly less superficial at least hahaha
Good thing you have subtitles!
15K a rolex....that could be my downpayment for a condo here in Montreal. Dang this is ridiculous. If it really and genuinely makes them happy...good otherwise they are just "keeping with the joneses" Great topic bro!
no way... dp to buy?
Mtl gang as i read comment 😂
You can sell it in few days as the price you bought or more. So Rolex is not considered that ridiculous(that is reason why real riches are leaving Rolex these days. it became a method for young people who want to make money without working). You can own Rolex and sell it when you get bored and make pretty good extra money 😂
I guess at the end of the day, it's all relative to your income level too. If you make 150k-200k a year, which is quite common nowadays, a 15k watch isn't all that much.
Money talks, wealth whispers
most people here have no idea what you're talking about, but this is the best comment over here
Always loved that expression
Yeah, totally
I’ve seen a woman in Japan wear no brand clothes but had a complete set of the less popular Van cleef and arpel jewelry set while riding the subway. Her bag was stylish but no discernible logo. Her jewelry alone was worth easily 100k usd. Blew my fucken mind!
This behavior is actually NOT materialism.
Materialism would be preferring real leather over fake, or cotton over polyester. AKA actual material differences.
Luxury brands are not highly priced because of their material, they're highly priced because of the brandname recognition.
So these people are not materialistic, they are status-worshipping.
noun: materialism
1.
a tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important than spiritual values.
"they hated the sinful materialism of the wicked city"
@@sacragon Thanks for agreeing
Hmm, I think you're not using "materialistic" in it the right way. It's being overly concerned with possessions and what not.
Incorrect, and someone posted the definition for you as well.
With social media it probably influenced more people to buy to look rich. Also, since most people can’t buy cars, houses it’s a way to show that you are successful.
That girl in pink's laugh is hilarious. She's laughing without smiling
그 웃음이 너무 공포스럽습니다. 한국사람이 보기에도 적응이 안되네요 😂
Not for everyone. Don't generalize Koreans by that.
This video is in Gangnam, a very wealthy part of Korea. He is interviewing a handful of individuals. Not everything can be generalized from such a small sample.
Exactly. These are not a majority.
I don't even live in Seoul, but there's not one person around me who doesn't have luxury goods, and 3 out of 10 have some Hermes Birkin bags
I'm sure they are not just a handful of individuals the statistics literally say that South Koreans are the biggest luxury goods consumers in the WORLD and people in the video already confirmed that out of 10 Koreans 8 or 9 of them would have a luxury item.
@@ghadir2389 yeah, this is kind of 'prejudice' confirmed by 'statistics'. All arguments and discussions about it must start from the statistics from the first place either by admitting or refuting it.
@@protein6197 I know people who don’t have any luxury goods. Not everything can be generalized from such a small sample.
I looooove your interviews!!! Thank you!!!!
Too much depressing place...my family members came back from there...its too much comparisons in basically everything...
This is just a side effect of Korea's capitalism. It comes once the economic development starts to speed, which we can see in Korea's economic history.
Its similar to China's obsession with luxurious goods. US went through it too. If you look at where all these luxury brands are moving to now, many are opening their stores in Korea and other countries like Thailand. Because they know that is where their new consumer concentration is. Its also supported by social media in a great deal, with the flexing and show off culture.
They are not buying them for the quality as the quality of luxurious goods has decreased substantially in the last 2 decades. They are buying it for the brand's name. You care about quality? Go to the small craftmanship stores in specialized countries. For example, good leather quality bags can be bought in many cities in Italy for half the price or less than a chanel bag.
In the end, this is just another perfect example of the side effects of global capitalism.
So interesting how this is a big part of South Korean culture!
I would love to do some of my street-interviews there as well
Interesting that people say they buy things because they look pretty. Its a lot of things that look pretty, but arent luxury. Is it the luxury fantasy that makes them pretty? What happened if the same items they bought now didnt have the luxury name? Would they still buy it or would they buy something else that has a luxury name?
@drinkalldayy Not sure what point you're trying to make, but im not really knowledgeable with Chinese brand cars. I googled some and some Chinese cars look just as bad as some of the Benz cars and Porsche trucks. Honestly more Benz and Porsches look better than Chinese cars.
@drinkalldayyI love Chinese car good value of money , I love to use the cheap stuff because don't need to take care much if getting old just donate to housekeeping or homeless
I don't envy the person who has the most expensive outfits in the world. but I can't help but be jealous of the person who look over the world deeper with big heart. ( mostly they read more than me )
So I read one more book, feel like satisfied as kinda one step further. Meaningless approach tho.
I understand those who are obsessed with luxurious brands. One step further to their happiness and satisfaction.
Anyways, let us live on our each way - one step further to each own happiness. Maybe if luxurious brands can lead to even just a tad bit satisfcation, it might be the easiest way to buy the happiness. :->
If I gifted my mother a hermes scarf she would yell at me and force me to return it 😂
Not just k-pop all of the Korean's and asian people are obsessed with luxury items
So did the Japanese in the late 80's and early 90's. Italian and French brands were selling like hot cakes, and young people wearing Swiss watches were driving foreign and domestic luxury cars.
Young people at that time probably wanted to show themselves well even if they forced themselves to do so. After 2000, this phenomenon gradually declined. Today, young people are living their own lives. Some people like luxury brands, but it's much less.
Dude, I like your style. It's a subtitle mix between Asian and Western fashion inspirations. 😎📸
There was a time long ago when clothes were beautiful and didn’t sport the logo of the brand as a necessary value. You knew if a piece had the fit, the fabric, the design it would be by a good designer. But I honestly don’t think it was about cost, primarily. It was about creativity beautiful materials and your own brand of aesthetic. When you say luxury don’t you really mean status? Fashion should make you iconic, not like everyone else. Not even better than anyone else. Unique. You can buy Hermes or Chanel or Alexander McQueen or whatever, but can you wear it well? Can you own it or does it own you? Fashion is art. Materialism is, on some level, mediocrity. It can reduce the beauty of a Rolex if that’s why you’re wearing one. Weird comment. Just thinking out loud. Here’s another thought. The guitar player had more charisma than the others. And you can’t buy that. Unless it’s the guitar…
First of all, it's not just Korea, I've seen the same obsession in Japan a few decades ago and in China now. I saw Japanese high school girls and OLs saying on Japanese TV that they date with old men for money to buy Fendi and Prada bags. I think the steam dissipated in Japan because of the weak economy/yen and a long period of no economic growth.
In my opinion, I think east Asian culture is built on a group/community mentality vs. individualistic value in western society, and east Asians constantly compare themselves to their peer and try to belong by conforming to certain standard. I was born and raised in Korea, but I always felt that I am an odd duck because of that reason and migrated to the states 20 years ago. Now I live in the mid-west and most people here don't take care of themselves very well (appearance wise) and I'll look like a sloppy country bumpkin when I visit Korea. Here in the mid-west, It's really rare that I see someone who look very put together at work and in my community, so it's really low peer pressure living here. Most clothing brands offer ill-fitting clothes made with cheap materials that will last just a season. Having a low bar and being care free feels totally liberating. However, I do think it's also important to take care of your appearance and being put together as you age for the same reasons we wear power suits and dress up for the job you want when we want to feel confident.
Western societies also value looking certain ways depending on the community you belong. You just don't see it everyday, if you are not part of the group or don't care. Many Americans also splurge on pretentious/luxury items and plastic surgeries like breast and hip vs. facial surgeries in Asia. It's just different preference and choices, but still image/appearance driven obsession the way I see it. I know many people who make lower end six figures drive around in porche and buy exotic cars, have country club membership, etc. here in my neighborhood.
I see many judgmental comments here, and I think those people always comment to hear themselves, not to understand and learn. The societies are built differently and people adapt to their environment, nobody's superior or innately better.
Awesome vid as usual! Thank u !!
The guitarist guy is cute
Out of topic, i like this interviewer’s voice. Calm and polite 😊😍.
Im a korean But never bought them
Paying a premium for downgraded materials is not a wise expense. That is the case for many luxury brands, might as well purchase bespoke goods from a quality artisan for the same price point
For those wondering, "cost effective" as used in this video means high consumer/credit card debt ;)
"The things you own end up owning you."
"We buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don't like."
Best quotes in the movie fight club
Why all those Korean all look like freaking models?! 🤯
Jerry bro please drop some insight on your style, you have the best fashion sense. It's stylish but not too over the top or too feminine like certain male fashion trends.
consumerism and insecurities. very sad i feel bad for them as mostly they follow trends/crowd/society to fit in
@@tonykim3033 high amount of bullying, plastic surgery, racism, classism, suicide rates, slave contracts, corruption (look at past leaders jail), low birth rate, unemployment issues, long pointless working hours, etc. But they sacrifice for greater good so it's k.
When your future is working for the big companies for live and yet can't afford housing. People tend to caring more to themselves and do what makes then happy. Luxury goods is one of them.
살 능력이 되니까 사는거야 뭔 말들이 많아.. 능력 안되면 가랑이 찢어지는 짓 하는거고.. 외국인들 생각보다 머리 안좋네. 명품ㅇ,ㄹ 소비하면서도 감당이 가능하니까 산다. 물론 일부는 빚내서 사지만.
In order to understand the luxury goods craze in Korea, it is necessary to first understand the evolution of the Korean economy and the desire for consumption.
From the mid-1980s to recent years, Koreans' consumption of luxury goods has changed in various aspects according to social trends.
Why do Koreans love luxury goods? Is it because they have a strong desire to show off? Too much vanity?
It is an anachronistic idea to regard Koreans' love for luxury goods as simply 'materialistic' and 'superficial'.
Luxury goods are not essential goods for human survival. In other words, the meaning of luxury is socially constructed. An object may be a luxury item in one society, but not a luxury item in another. After all, in order to understand luxury consumption, it is necessary to understand the society.
The growth of the Korean luxury goods market is not irrelevant to the trend of globalization. Until the 1970s, Korea strictly restricted imports of foreign goods through high tariff barriers. It was difficult to purchase foreign goods, including luxury goods. It was a time when even US-made peanut butter was difficult to find.
However, things changed before and after the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Tariffs on the import of clothing and shoes have been significantly eased, and foreign brands have entered Korea en masse.
In 1984, Louis Vuitton entered Lotte Duty Free for the first time.
In 1991, Louis Vuitton Korea, a Korean branch, was launched.
As Koreans' suppressed desires were released, the demand for luxury items exploded as if to compensate for the time they didn't know about luxury goods.
In particular, the opening of the Galleria Department Store’s luxury goods store in Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam, Seoul in 1990 marked a watershed in luxury consumption. Starting with various overseas luxury brands entering the Galleria Luxury Hall, flagship stores of foreign luxury brands opened one after another around Apgujeong-dong. Apgujeong Rodeo Street has become a shopping hideout for the wealthy in Gangnam, and has emerged as a sacred place for the “Orange people,” who enjoy foreign luxury goods and drive luxury cars.
Another catalyst that increased interest in luxury goods in Korea was the liberalization of overseas travel. It's hard to believe now, but until the early 1980s, passports were not issued at all for departures from Korea for pure travel purposes. Only those with special purposes such as business trips, study abroad, or employment were allowed to leave the country. However, as overseas travel was fully liberalized in 1989, the number of outbound travelers exceeded 1 million for the first time that year. During this period, Koreans visited the Mecca of the fashion industry, such as Paris and Milan, and opened their eyes to the world of luxury goods.
But most of all, for luxury goods to sell well, consumers' purchasing power must be supported. From the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s, the Korean economy was booming, with per capita income rapidly increasing.
In 1980, Korea's per capita gross national income (GNI) was only $1,870, but in 1994 it broke through $10,000. From the mid-1980s to the late 1990s, right before the Asian financial crisis hit, the rate of increase in per capita gross national income recorded double digits every year. In 1988, when the Seoul Olympics were held, per capita gross national income increased by 28% compared to the previous year. In other words, the luxury craze in Korean society that began in the 1990s was the result of collaboration between suppressed desire and economic power.
However, the IMF financial crisis that hit at the end of 1997 instantly put cold water on the craze for luxury goods. It was a time when individuals tightened their belts to make the country rich and strong again. People even donated all the gold pieces in their homes to the country, saying they would pay off the country's debt. Individual consumption behavior was thoroughly judged from the perspective of “patriotism,” and overconsumption was, of course, regarded as a sin. Ironically, in the process of overcoming the IMF foreign exchange crisis, the luxury goods market faces a new turning point as the government overdoes issuing credit cards to stimulate the economy and stimulate consumption.
Indiscriminate card issuance soon led to a mass production of credit delinquents, leading to the so-called credit card crisis. The number of credit card-related credit delinquents increased from 800,000 at the end of 2000 to 1.49 million at the end of 2002. The middle class, which had been leading the popularization of luxury consumption through the IMF financial crisis and credit card crisis, suffered a significant blow, but ironically, as the rich and the poor deepened, the purchasing power of the upper class further increased.
The luxury goods market went through a correction phase for a while, but it was able to revitalize because someone else was able to accumulate more wealth when someone fell into a credit default. Rather, these series of events made people more honest with their desires by learning the heartless nature of capitalism. It was a harsh time when they learned painfully that what protects ‘existence’ is ‘money’ after all.
At this point, it seems clear that Koreans' obsession with luxury goods cannot be explained simply by vanity. Vanity is a universal emotion and desire of mankind. If we rely on vanity to explain the explosion of demand and supply for luxury goods in one society, it is difficult to explain why it is different from other societies. A general explanation of luxury goods can be found in what Thorstein Veblen calls ‘conspicuous consumption’. At the end of the 19th century, when emerging wealthy people appeared due to rapid industrialization, conspicuous consumption acted as a sign of the upper class that did not have to work. For them, the exorbitantly expensive the goods were, the better it was to show their class.
The desire of the upper class to distinguish themselves from the common people is well explained through Pierre Bourdieu's concept of 'distinction'. According to Bourdieu, cultural taste is not a result of personal choice based on autonomous will, but a structural product reflecting the status between classes. Their preference for golf over soccer, wine over soju, and classical music over popular music reflects their desire to place themselves in the upper class and to differentiate themselves from the common people.
The desire for conspicuous consumption or differentiation is a very natural phenomenon for humans. Some societies morally brand it as vanity, others justify it as a sign of success. Korea has been in the former for a long time. This reflects the unique cultural context of Korean society. Experts point to excessive ethical criticism of overconsumption as one of the points that differentiates luxury consumption in Korea from other countries.
Until luxury goods become a craze in a society, the unique political, economic, and cultural structures of that society work in a complex way. Then, what kind of social reality does the luxury craze in Korea contain today? The first thing to consider is the change in the demographic structure. Korea is currently facing a serious low birth rate problem. As of 2021, Korea's total fertility rate is 0.81. In other words, the number of children a woman will give birth to in her lifetime is less than one. Not having children means more disposable income for you. In the same context, Korea's low birth rate is likely to increase consumption for oneself instead of reducing spending or saving for raising children.
In addition to this, the increasing percentage of unmarried or non-married young people also affects luxury consumption. Having no family to support means increased consumption for oneself. If you are single living with your parents, your disposable income for yourself will increase even more. It is worth noting that the MZ generation is leading the recent craze for luxury goods in Korea. In 2021, customers in their 20s and 30s accounted for 48.7% of all luxury sales at Hyundai Department Store. Luxury goods are no longer something that can be enjoyed only after achieving economic stability, but have become items that newcomers to society buy with their monthly wages.
Rising real estate prices are also related. If getting married in their 20s, having children, and saving money to buy a house was the life path of ordinary people, young people no longer have such a dream. Buying a house worth hundreds of millions or billions of won has become an impossible dream for a lifetime, and saving or investing for the future has become meaningless. If your life is only ‘collecting dust’, it is wise to enjoy the present. In that respect, the luxury consumption of the MZ generation may contain pessimism about the future.
Of course, luxury consumption still has the function of satisfying the desire to show off. However, if luxury goods are simply a matter of luxury or vanity, it is difficult to explain the different trends in luxury consumption in different countries. In addition, overly ethically condemning human beings' natural desire to be distinguished from others may be excessive interference with individual consumption behavior. Understanding luxury goods is perhaps also understanding the society. If the historical path of our society had been different, the pattern of luxury consumption might have been completely different.
아니 이건 거의 논문수준인데... 당신의 직업은 경제학이나 사회학과 교수입니까? 당신의 의견에 동의합니다❤
In my opinion, the guys and gals on the video still looks good even without wearing a luxury items.
유튜버님 qna 해주시면 안되요?ㅠㅠ
1 한국 오게 된 이유
2 나이
3 mbti
4 데이트 문화 차이
5 모델이신지
6 옷 잘 입는 법(너무 잘 입으세요🥺)
7 이상형
일단 이정도 생각나네요!
여기는 서울 강남 용산이잖아요….연예인이랑 엔터사업이 몰려있고 대통령도 거주할만큼 한국에서 가장 부유한 동네니까 저렇죠. 10명 중에 9명이 명품 가지고있다고? 절대아님ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
I respected 3 musician guy. He is very great guy.
I liked the guy without the luxury item the most lol .Id only say dont worry about getting up enough money to buy the luxury item ( clothing wise) in the future. There are way more important things than items to look luxurious😂. Plus ppl with style can look amazing in good affordable things.
dripped out as always
Luxury design houses are there to keep the working class just that instead of helping them become wealthy. Instead of investing in the future, they are made to believe having designer items give you clout. The reality is far different and it’s something I wish I had known in my early 20’s.
Just because you buy luxury goods doesn't mean you're not investing for the future. They're not mutually exclusive. But the caveat is how good you are at managing your finance and diversifying your income to withstand inflation and grow your saving for retirement. Sounds like what you should've learn in your early 20's is financial literacy.
Omg that guy gifted his mother an Hermès scarf which is the same price as my rent 😅 when I hear these prices I’m just thinking I could use that for a nice trip or so many nice dinners. I have a few LV and Gucci SLG’s but that’s it and while I don’t regret buying them I probably wouldn’t repurchase them when they’re worn out.
I bought my niece a bag there for her birthday *condup* and she loved it. I’ll buy one myself!
5:11 actually that lv bag’s quality must’ve been very good if she could use it for 20 years…! I do wonder if the LVs nowadays have such good quality for its price
The most impactful fact I discovered about the mentality that motivates their high standard of external beauty & style is that they actually interpret looking pretty & stylish as being POLITE and well mannered.
It’s similar to keeping your house and your front yard well mowed and appealing for the sake of the neighbor’s (and those who pass by) viewing pleasure. Therefore showing up unmade up and dressed carelessly are actually considered rude in Korea. I have heard Koreans commenting how rude (and lazy) it is to not make the necessary effort to look one’s best.
It’s a very different mentality where I live. Dressing casually and looking natural are not frowned upon and are promoted where I love. I do enjoy having no pressure to dress up, but of course there’s a downside to everything good: I would get too much stares when I dress very stylish & sophisticated.
The only branded items i love are CROCS xD they just so comfy
This is really eye opening to watch. However, brands like Chanel have really decreased in quality and one is just paying for engineered luxury, as Tanner Leatherstein said.
I buy luxury item because of the style shape and check the composition. I mainly buy vintage shoes they are so much better and are often very different in style to the regular made in India and China shoes
I think it’s cost effective only if you have a limited amount of those items. If you don’t go into excessive consumption
I guess if you own a house with no mortgage, a car with no payments and have a retirement funded and 6 months cash living expenses its ok to have a couple items.
The most interesting thing for me in korea is the huge interest in the opinion of other, even strangers, opinion. I have a lot of discussions with korean friends about it and still I'm not able to relate. I couldn't care less about something compared to the opinion of the society..
I think basically Korean love to show off wether their belonging, their children’s achievement, social status, etc. When you don’t have things like others you feel left out. While in my country, there are people like that but excessive showing off and feeling jealous of others’ belonging is considered bad attitude to community and religion, so personally I don’t feel pressured at all
What country are you from?
Not just South Koreans. Asians in general are obsessed with luxury goods. Saying this as an Asian.
Like Hermes, they are using crocodile skin. Bags made from crocodile skin in Thailand is way cheaper and they are also hand made.
As someone who owns some designer pieces (some of which have been passed down from relatives), I’ve noticed that the quality of some brands has gone down and is not the same as they were before. Regardless of whether it’s cheap or not, I do my research before I go about buying something. If I do decide to get something from an expensive brand, its usually very minimal in terms of design, practical, and not for the sake of following trends. I try to get it second hand. That way, I don’t have to pay the full retail price for it and it gives me peace of mind that I will be putting someone’s rarely used item to good use.
Очень хотелось бы чтобы cameraman держал объектив ровнее или использовал стабилизатор, картинка постоянно моргает и дергается, сложно смотреть (если включаешь видео не на фон конечно) ну и монтаж было бы здорово сделать ровнее, чтобы склейка была менее заметной
Мне нравятся видео, но в них есть что улучшить
My fiancée and I went to South Korea for a vacation and I was honestly surprised seeing all the expensive brands cuz I’m just an individual who does most of my clothes shopping on Amazon when clothes are on deal. Also Ross another cheap option.
Koreans are really on another level of Consumism and Capitalism. It almost feels like a movie.
Both interviewer and oppa are handsome! You both look like GQ model material - you guys are the REAL luxury 🫶🏽🔥🩵
If almost everyone has luxury items then it almost seems to me as if they’re just common items priced exorbitantly. It has lost its exclusivity, you can get them as an average joe. The prestige of owning a luxury item is pretty much a made up perception, or a half-truth that many ppl love to indulge in, which is sad. In reality, how many ppl in SK struggle to buy a house and live from paycheck to paycheck?
In my country, you are considered wealthy if you have a house and car. Clothes don't matter, actually wearing blatant luxury items make you look desperate.
Watching them talking about luxury brand while scrolling Shoppe to buy a shirt.
Why is no one talking about how pretty the lady in pink is! She give Seo Yea Ji vibes! I would have thought she was in her early thirties oldest even if she had a lot of good skincare and “treatments” I wouldn’t have expected her to be in her 40s! I love her clothes too! She makes me want to buy gentle monster sunglasses, she looks so good in them❤
I just bought a new wallet the other day. It was around €45 and I thought that was already expensive.
Its interesting that Korea represents both the best and worst parts of the Sinosphere culture. You have a safe society, well organized cities, disciplined people, but at the same time, extremely hiarchial society, bureaucratic gonvernment; while materialism and lookism are over the roof.
My coworkers in Suwon many had luxury watches and wallets. I just say enjoy
From a marketing perspective I find it interesting how to make people go in debt buying stuff they don't need.
Because the most import things to a Korean/most Asians are 1. Money Money Money 2. Beauty 3. What the rest of sociaty thinks about them. 4. Profession 5. Health 6. Family 7. Friends.
Yes that LV bag 20 yrs ago is lasting long as they were considered more of "classic pieces".. now all these flavor of the month collections are gonna look outdated in a few seasons...
It’s strange as people with money in western world who are cultured turn to quality and even chic minimal, they wouldn’t be seen with labels etc. that’s why they said designer brands are marketed for poor people to look rich. Truly Rich people don’t need to impress anyone and labels are tacky.
5:24 this man littrely need nothing he is expensive himself 😂❤
The guy with a white shirt has a very nice voice
I've never thought that buying luxury goods is so criticized and incomprehensible, but the comments are very strange.
I don't have luxury goods, but I don't care what other people buy. When I went on a trip to the United States, I thought why there are so many obese people in the United States who don't diet.
But nowhere did they say it was wrong for them to gain weight. it's their life
wow, they have wonderful skin
if you have money to spend on stupid garbage, just give it to charity... A lot of your fellow countrymen could use the help...
@@yuugen999 And it's their right to buy what they want. The world isn't a fair place, if someone wants money they can work for it.
@@r_i_v_e_r This guy actually thinks poverty is voluntary... It's because of people like you that the world is not as fair as it could be.
@@yuugen999why they give when they're working hard , what are'u saying is joke bro😂
@@adamsaciid4919 The only joke here is your mentality, bro