
Indeed, the country's appetite for high-end labels has led to the christening of a Louis Vuitton handbag as the"three-second bag" for its ubiquity, with one spotted every few seconds on the streets of the capital Seoul.
A survey from management consultants McKinsey & Co. shows South Koreans are less bashful than other Asians about flaunting their bling. Only 26 per cent of those surveyed said they felt guilty about showing off luxury goods, compared with 49 per cent of Japanese and 38 per cent of Chinese respondents.
Now, the fashion conscious in this country of 50 million people will be able to shop for designer items alongside instant noodles at their local Seven-Eleven convenience store during the New Year's holiday season.