Broadcaster Hyunyoung has spoken out about the controversy surrounding the resale of luxury brand gifts. The representative of the company that assisted Hyunyoung in purchasing the products also stepped forward.
On the 27th of last month, Hyunyoung revealed a promotional video selling the gift pouch 'Dior Spring Ritual Kit' given to customers who purchase at luxury brand stores in department stores through social media.
The Spring Ritual Kit revealed in the video consists of a pouch and four types of beauty kits. The pouch is provided to customers who purchase over 170,000 won at domestic department stores, while the four types of kits are given to customers who purchase a total of at least 480,000 won at 120,000 won each.
Hyunyoung noted, "The products given as amenities when buying from Dior can be purchased separately for 85,000 won. All are authentic Dior products," also sharing a tip on how to use the pouch with a strap as a bag while ramping up her promotion.
In response to this, some netizens pointed out, "Aren't these the gifts given by Dior?" and "Isn't it illegal?" To this, Hyunyoung reportedly responded, "That's true. However, they are currently sold out in department stores nationwide" and "No, it's not."
Under current law, it is legally prohibited to sell or distribute gifts. In particular, the sale of cosmetic samples is strictly prohibited in the country, and according to Article 16 of the Cosmetics Act, both the sale and the purpose of storage and display of cosmetic samples are prohibited. Violators may face up to one year in prison or fines of up to 10 million won.
There have been comments about Hyunyoung being a real-life Shubly Mom (a character parody by Lee Sooji, an influencer in group buying). Some netizens expressed their discontent with the sale of the gifts, asking, "How can one sell pouches and samples given when buying cosmetics?" and "They sell what is given for free for money," and criticized, "Creative economy," and "Are they authentic?" On the other hand, there were also positive reactions like, "I want to buy it," and "Is there any plan for more?" leading to a heated debate.
Regarding the issue, Hyunyoung told OSEN in a currency that "Upon confirming through a middleman, the products have indeed gone through proper customs clearance. There are middlemen who import foreign products into Korea, and they distribute through their supply chain. Customers purchasing from our site input their personal customs number for the purchase. These products have passed through the proper customs process, but it seems there is a misunderstanding that it is reselling luxury brand gifts."
Along with this, the representative of the company introducing the products to Hyunyoung, Mr. A, also stepped forward. Mr. A explained, "We are a company specializing in purchase agency services, and Hyunyoung serves only as a connector between consumers and products, receiving merely a referral fee for this. Hyunyoung is not the seller of the products, but rather the person who facilitated the buying agency." He added, "The 'Dior Spring Ritual Kit' we initiated this time is a new item for 2025 that has not been officially launched in the country. We received it through a reputable company, and buyers enter their personal customs number to import directly."
According to Mr. A, facilitating a purchase agency and reselling are entirely different, stating, "Reselling products made or imported in Korea like gifts is illegal, and our purchasing agency process goes through official customs channels."
In the midst of this, on the afternoon of the 22nd, when the issue erupted, Hyunyoung attended an opening party event for a hair brand held in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, standing in front of the photo wall. With a cheerful energy, Hyunyoung lit up the photo wall in a model pose, and later through social media, she explained, "I have a few announcements regarding the Dior products I introduced through Hyunyoung Choice last March," adding, "It was an event product introduced through a legitimate purchasing agency in order to present products that customers might prefer, and I received a referral fee for that."
Hyunyoung further added, "Hyunyoung Choice is a site operated to make our brand Bonami Shu known to more customers. Our staff will continue to strive to ensure that customers have a satisfying shopping experience."
Meanwhile, Hyunyoung, a graduate of the SBS Supermodel competition, is active in various fields including singing, acting, and entertainment. She married an ordinary person in 2012 and has one son and one daughter. In addition to broadcasting, she operates a shopping mall and is also active as an entrepreneur. Notably, her shopping mall reportedly recorded sales of around 8 billion won in the second half of 2019, drawing attention.
[OSEN]