A picture of Dogok Station accompanies a viral post suggesting that the prestige of stepping off at Gangnam subway stations rivals that of exiting a luxury car, sparking widespread discussion online. Captured from online community

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.

A post titled "True 'Exit Feel' Comes from Subway Stations, Not Cars" was shared in an online community space last month, sparking considerable discussion.

The author said, "Who pays attention to someone getting out of a German car these days?" and added, "On the other hand, if you get off at Dogok Station, people glance at you wondering, 'Does that person live here?'"

Other posts echoed this sentiment. Comments included, "Cheongdam Station also has great 'exit luxury,'" and "I feel proud when I get off at Banpo or Jamwon stations thinking, 'I live in a house worth 120 million won ($92,000) per pyeong, where are you going?'"

Another user compared it to feeling disappointed when getting off near a lower-ranked university while commuting during college, expressing similar psychological effects.

View of Gangnam's apartments from the Kyobo Building in Gangnam District, Seoul. Korea Times file

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.

The phenomenon of classifying residential areas has given rise to "real estate class charts," which have been circulating online for years. These charts rank residential areas based on the real transaction prices per pyeong (3.3 square meters), with key areas in Gangnam and Seocho Districts consistently ranked in the top tier.

A promotional video uploaded by Gangnam District Office to its official YouTube channel last October. In this video, characters tour Gangnam, making statements like "It smells expensive" and "Don't sniff around like country folk." Captured from YouTube

A social pathology

The sense of superiority inherent in the term "exit feel" stems from a desire to belong to the elite. Lim Myeong-ho, a psychology professor at Dankook University, said, "Even if not a long-term resident of Gangnam, just staying briefly or alighting at a nearby station can provide a sense of belonging."

This can be seen as a type of panoply effect, where consuming or using certain products creates an illusion of belonging to a group that consumes similar products.

This perception is becoming stronger with each generation. Popular culture critic Ha Jae-geun noted, "Unlike the previous generations who denied vertical class consciousness, those born after the 2000s are internalizing it, leading to an increase in admiration and superiority towards the wealthy."

Professor Lim added, "In the past, displaying admiration for the rich was seen as immature and inappropriate, but now there's a stronger desire to be recognized as part of that group by any means."

Experts warn that such changes can lead to social issues.

Seo Jin-hyung, a real estate law professor at Kwangwoon University, said, "In Korea, real estate is viewed more as an investment than a place to live, and the strong desire for homeownership is unique. Classifying residential areas exacerbates this, undermining community spirit."

Critic Ha also described it as a "social pathology" where even the younger generation expresses superiority based on residential areas.

To mitigate these trends, Professor Lim suggested valuing diverse aspects beyond material wealth, such as the environment, human rights, self-realization and health.

He said, "We should find a sense of belonging through pursuing various desirable values."

Ha also highlighted the role of education. "We need to educate from an early age to avoid internalizing hierarchical structures, but current trends in our education system reinforce them," Ha said. "Breaking this cycle in education, media and broadcasting is crucial."

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by generative AI and edited by staff of The Korea Times.