I was at a CU in Gangnam last night grabbing a late-night snack, and there was a girl—perfectly styled, 10/10 makeup—sitting at the window counter. She was eating a 1,500 won cup of Jin Ramyun. Right next to her on the greasy plastic table was a brand-new Chanel shopping bag. She wasn’t even hiding it; she was actually using the box as a makeshift stand for her phone while she scrolled.
It reminded me of that “Poverty Challenge” trend blowing up on IG and Threads lately. Have you guys seen this? People posting photos of their Ferrari keys next to a bowl of basic kimbap with captions like “Ugh, another day of unbearable poverty” or “I’m so broke after buying this Dior stroller.”
It’s like there’s this weird badge of honor in “starving” for the status symbol. I’ve heard coworkers unironically talk about living on “Ramen and Triangle Kimbap” for two months straight just to afford the down payment on a luxury watch or a seasonal YSL bag.
Is this the final form of “Hell Joseon”? The pressure to look like you’ve made it is so high that people are literally sacrificing their nutrition for a leather strap. I get the “YOLO” (You Only Live Once) mindset, especially when housing prices are so astronomical that nobody expects to buy an apartment anymore, but the “Luxury Living vs. Cup Ramen” contrast is starting to feel like a Black Mirror episode.
I hope I don’t see this behavior in Singapore.