Korean Job Discussion Forums

Real Reality · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

Can you afford to buy these electronic products? Why not? Koreans are snapping them up.

Koreans Snap Up Luxury Home Electronics
Luxury home electronics like W800,000 (US$7,664) MP3 players and W80 million (US$766,400) plasma display panel TVs are selling like hot cakes in Korea. LG Electronics has the distinction of releasing the world's most expensive 71-inch PDP TV last November. Plated in 24-carat gold, the model is priced at a cool W80 million, six times more than the company's 60-inch PDP TV. Some 10 sets of the TV have been already been sold. Meanwhile, Samsung MP3 players decorated with white gold, diamonds and sapphires sold out two days after their release.
by Bang Sung-hun, Chosun Ilbo (febraury 17, 2005)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200502/200502170023.html

HamuHamu · Joined: 01 May 2003 Location: Seoul

Well who ever has written the article either calculated exchange rates REALLY poorly, or is attempting to make Koreans look a bit richer than they are.

vlcupper · Joined: 12 Aug 2004 Location: Gangnam

Probably both, dude. I haven't read the article, but I have a feeling if all these nouveaux riches Koreans had to pay with cash, this article would never have been written.

I'm waiting for the inevitable crash and burn.

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004

I thought I was wrong to think that 7,000 dollars did not equal to 800,000 won... geez.. someone should write and complain!

Real Reality · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

MP3 players decorated with white gold, diamonds and sapphires sold out two days after their release.
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200502/200502170023.html

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

Such needless extravagance for the sake of status makes me vomit.
All that money wasted, yet people don't value clean air, birds or animals..etc..
the world is crazy.

vlcupper · Joined: 12 Aug 2004 Location: Gangnam

ulsanchris · Joined: 19 Jun 2003 Location: take a wild guess

There were less than 80 of them and they were probably bought by the friends of the owners of Samsung. OR by Samsung employees. If they were selling thousands of them I would be impressed.

chiaa · Joined: 23 Aug 2003

Propagahnda to get people to try to keep up with the Kims. Good marketing ploy though.

JongnoGuru · Joined: 25 May 2004 Location: peeing on your doorstep

Oh no!!! I hope they still have some of those plasma TVs for three-quarters of a million US$ when I get back! Sad

The Bobster · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

Who cares? Who needs expensive crap?

inkoreaforgood · Joined: 15 Dec 2003 Location: Inchon

Propoganda, advertising, whatever you want to call it. It's all the same.

funplanet · Joined: 20 Jun 2003 Location: The new Bucheon!

exactly, who needs all of this junk? I can afford it but why would I waste my money on any of this....

just another stupid example of Koreans trying to show off....

ulsanchris · Joined: 19 Jun 2003 Location: take a wild guess

Rich People everywhere like to show off.
What is stupid is that the author of the article is trying to make it sound like that the purchase of less than 100 luxery goods is a sign that the Korean economy is coming out of a recession. The people who have that kind of money to spend on items like that aren't affected very much by minor ressesions anyways.