"Rich Daughter Fashion": Kang Yumi's 'Hyeonbaekcore' Satire Puts Department Store Industry on Edge

Mimicking the laid-back vibe of a wealthy daughter: “Hyeonbaekcore”
Could Moncler listings surge like they did after the “Daechi-dong mom” satire?

Comedian Kang Yumi has drawn attention with a video satirizing “Hyeonbaekcore,” a fashion neologism describing the look of a well-off daughter with an effortless, laid-back vibe.

Screenshot of Kang Yumi's YouTube channel

On October 30, Kang Yumi released a video titled “Hyeonbaekcore” on her YouTube channel. The term combines “Hyeonbaek,” a shortened form of Hyundai Department Store, with “normcore,” a style that is natural and comfortable. It refers to the image of a wealthy daughter shopping at a department store in comfortable clothes.

“Hyeonbaekcore” aims for the vibe of a wealthy daughter who treats the department store like her own home and has nothing left to buy. Rather than wearing conspicuous luxury logos, the look favors neat, neutral-colored shirts, cotton trousers and knitwear made from high-quality materials in shades such as black, gray and beige, with a single small accessory providing a restrained accent. It appears comfortable and as though little effort has gone into it, but is actually a variation on the “old money look,” with the materials, silhouettes and colors of the clothes carefully considered. Actress Moon Gayoung’s off-duty outfits and the understated styles of upper-class characters in past dramas have often been cited as representative examples.

In the video, Kang Yumi satirizes the economic class differences on display in a department store by contrasting the crowded lower floors, filled with visitors to pop-up stores and other attractions, with the relatively quiet luxury boutiques.

Hyeonbaekcore is a neologism that emerged naturally among consumers. The term had allowed the department store to acquire an image of youth and sophistication without any special marketing, but its appearance as a subject of satire has reportedly prompted concerns that it could harm the brand’s image.

For premium brands, the image favored by the public is a competitive asset, making them inevitably sensitive to becoming targets of satire. For example, after comedian Lee Suji released a video last year satirizing parents in Seoul’s Daechi-dong neighborhood of Gangnam who go to great lengths to secure private tutoring for their children while wearing Moncler padded jackets, some people online said they would feel embarrassed to wear one.

According to Bungaejangter, the number of newly listed women’s outerwear items tagged with the keyword “Moncler” reportedly rose more than sixfold compared with the previous week immediately after the video was released.

In another past online rumor, Thom Browne was said to have asked broadcaster Jo Seho, who often wears the brand’s clothes, to stop wearing its products. This is because a particular celebrity can come to mind more readily than the image a brand seeks to cultivate, potentially affecting how consumers view it.

A retail industry official told Financial News, “A premium brand’s greatest asset is the sophisticated image the public admires. Even when consumers build a brand’s image voluntarily, becoming the target of satire or ridicule can diminish its aspirational appeal, so companies have no choice but to keep a close eye on trends.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.