Abstract
This chapter explores how consumption played a vital role in determining social status in Korea's modern society. It defines chungsancheung (middle class) in terms of consumption status. The sector of consumerism changed drastically following South Korea's economic liberalization in the 1980s, democratization in 1987, and the Olympic Games in 1988. The chapter recognizes the rise of luxury consumption (myoongpoom) as the most noticeable change in Korea's consumption market since the 1990s. Moreover, the new phase of class distinction revolved around owning traditional cultural products and the willingness to invest time and money into health and physical appearance. The chapter also focuses on the cultural trend of luxury and high status being correlated with people's obsession with physical appearance, which resulted in Korea being widely known for its highly developed cosmetic surgery industry, Korean TV dramas, and hallyu (Korean wave).
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