Group IVE (IVE) member Jang Wonyoung is reported to have purchased a luxury Hannam-dong low-rise apartment worth 13.7 billion won in cash at the age of 21.
According to the real estate industry on the 12th, Jang Wonyoung purchased the Lucid House in Hannam-dong in March for 13.7 billion won. With no separate mortgage registered, it is presumed to have been a full cash purchase, which astonishes people because it is an achievement reached at the age of 21.
Public reaction centered on portal site news, online communities and social media is unusually favorable. "13.7 billion in cash at 21, it really feels like a story from another world," "To make that much at that age, were they sleeping while working?", "You can see the relentless hard work, who can say anything?" — voices recognizing his effort are overwhelming. Instead of the envy or resentful looks that often followed past reports of celebrities buying expensive real estate, support and admiration dominate responses to Jang Wonyoung's move, such as "as expected, Jang Wonyoung" and "the years of effort have paid off."
The reason for the public's positive response lies in Jang Wonyoung's "irreplaceable" career built to date. This "cash flex" is the "result" of nonstop work since her teenage years. As IVE's "irreplaceable center," Jang Wonyoung not only led the group to success but also dominated the advertising world through her solo activities beyond the K-pop scene. This year alone she is serving as ambassador for more than eight major brands in fields such as banking and fashion. There is no denying that she is advertisers' most coveted "MZ wannabe icon."
Since her debut, Jang Wonyoung has built trust through activity free of scandals. Not only her personal star power but also the fact that IVE recently completed activities for mini album 4 "IVE SECRET" and sold out the Seoul shows three days in advance for the start of their second? world tour lends credibility to the income Jang Wonyoung has earned.
More importantly are Jang Wonyoung's usual "attitude" and "conduct." These are why she is more than a simple object of envy and instead serves as an "example." Despite debuting at a young age, she showed flawless professionalism and a positive attitude on broadcasts and stages, coined new words such as "Wonyoung-esque thinking (luckybiki)" that swept 2024, and her strict self-management that allows no minor controversy along with her constantly bright energy has led to deep trust.
Jang Wonyoung's purchase of the low-rise apartment is also interesting because it symbolically shows a change in society's view of the "young and rich." Whereas youthful success used to invite envy and resentment, people now cheer for those who openly prove their effort and confidently enjoy the rewards. The public recognizes the many years of effort and endurance Jang Wonyoung experienced after debuting as a teenager in the fiercely competitive K-pop market, so this achievement is received not as "unfair" but as the most capitalist "deserved reward."
Jang Wonyoung's 13.7 billion won cash purchase has become the clearest proof of why she is the contemporary "MZ wannabe icon." By being recognized by the public as having achieved success through "skill" and "attitude," not "luck," and as deserving to enjoy the fruits confidently, Jang Wonyoung's "cash flex" shines even brighter.
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