Korea's excessive need to feel superior to the next person...

 

This was a Korea Times article.

It reflects Korea's excessive need to feel superior to the next person.

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Young Koreans rank subway stations according to real estate prices

By KTimes July 15, 2024

The act of drawing attention when stepping out of an expensive car has now extended to subway stations in upscale areas like Gangnam, reflecting a new and distasteful trend of showing off among some of Seoul's more affluent residents.

A few years ago, luxury car owners coined the term "exit feel" to describe the satisfaction they derived from the attention they received when stepping out of an expensive vehicle.

This term gained popularity among those who favored imported cars over domestic ones for their perceived prestige. Comments such as "Only German cars (Mercedes, BMW, Audi) provide true exit feel" or "Supercars offer the ultimate exit luxury, far surpassing leased cars," became common.

Recently, a post that applied this term to subway stations went viral online. It suggested that one could experience the same sense of prestige when getting off at subway stations in Gangnam, similar to that experienced when stepping out of a luxury car.

This trend of showcasing superiority based on living in the Gangnam area is continuously popping up on the internet and social media.

While flaunting wealth was once viewed negatively, it is now often admired, which further intensifies this materialistic tendency.

Real estate classifications

The concept of Gangnam superiority has been a persistent source of controversy. Last October, the Gangnam District Office faced backlash for using phrases like "The buildings are shiny, and there are many people, it feels expensive," and "Stop staring at the buildings like a bumpkin from the countryside," in an official promotional video.

Following a flood of complaints about the derogatory and mocking tone toward non-Gangnam residents, the video was set to private.

A similar controversy arose in June of the same year with an apartment advertisement in Banpo-dong, Seocho District. The ad's slogan "Dedicated to those who dream of an unequal world" was criticized for promoting elitism and evoking negative feelings among the general public.

An intense public backlash led to the removal of the controversial phrase from the apartment's website.