Seo In-young reveals paying 40 million won for a 15 million won bag

Singer Seo In-young shared an anecdote about paying significantly more than the retail value for luxury bags in the past. Looking back at a time when she exhibited intense spending habits—even collecting high-end luxury items in every available color—she showcased a changed lifestyle by now disposing of her remaining luxury collection.

On the 26th, Seo visited a secondhand luxury store to organize her collection, as seen on her YouTube channel 'Gaegwacheonseon Seo In-young'. The video focused on the process of disposing of her remaining bags and reflecting on her shifting spending habits.

Upon entering the store, Seo looked around at the displayed luxury bags and showed interest in one item, saying, "It suits me perfectly." However, as soon as she checked the 3.5 million won price tag, she immediately put the bag down, revealing a more cautious approach to spending compared to her past.

During the visit, Seo recalled her past when she discovered a high-end luxury bag known to be difficult to obtain even in official boutiques. She said, "I used to have them all; at one point, I was so obsessed that I had them in every color." She explained that during her peak interest in specific products, she would own the same design in multiple colors.

When the production team mentioned that the bag in question is not an easy item to purchase at a store, Seo revealed an even more surprising past purchase experience. She stated, "This goes for 15 million won at the store. So, I paid 40 million won for it," revealing that she once paid approximately 25 million won more than the retail price. At the time, she had essentially accepted a massive premium to secure a highly scarce product.

Such price gaps in luxury consumption are difficult to explain through retail price alone. For certain popular items, a significant difference can occur between the official store price and the actual transaction price depending on supply, purchase eligibility, and scarcity. Seo's case serves as a testament to how intense the demand for certain luxury goods once was.

Interestingly, Seo's current situation is the exact opposite of her past. She visited the secondhand luxury store to personally dispose of the bags she had kept, and rather than making impulsive decisions, she showed herself considering her current economic situation. According to reports, Seo had her remaining Chanel and Hermès bags appraised, with the final buyback prices for the two bags set at several million won.

In particular, the Hermès bag, which was noted to have cost 40 million won, received a secondhand market evaluation that showed a massive gap from its original purchase price. Some reports stated the buyback price for the bag was set at around 2.6 million won.

In the past, Seo earned the nickname "Sin-sang-nyeo" (New Arrival Girl) for using fashion and luxury consumption as a core part of her persona. Since her days with Jewelry, she built a public image through intense style and bold fashion, frequently showcasing her extraordinary interest in luxury goods on various broadcasts. This video draws attention by contrasting those past consumption patterns with her current, more realistic lifestyle.

While reminiscing about her past spending, she joked about her expenditures, saying, "What do you mean 40 million won? Just advance me 40 million won," humorously mocking her own former spending. Rather than merely boasting about her glamorous days, she used laughter to bridge the gap between her past and present self.

Ultimately, the image of Seo revealed that day carries a meaning beyond a simple luxury bag anecdote. While celebrity consumption was once a symbol of success and wealth, the process of disposing of items and having their value re-evaluated over time highlights both the fleeting nature of consumption and a more grounded sense of economy.

For Seo, disposing of a bag that once cost 40 million won—only to see it valued much lower in the secondhand market—is more than just tidying up belongings; it is a process of personally closing the chapter on an era of once-glamorous consumption.