"1 Million Won for a Favorite Concert"... Hobby Spending: 'Waste' or 'Value'?

Opinions vary on whether the money spent on hobbies is a 'failure of asset management' or an 'investment in life's value.' In a video recently released on KakaoBank's YouTube channel 'Donkitaka,' the cast members revealed their unique hobbies and the scale of their spending, sharing their philosophies on the matter.

"It's fine as long as you're not going into debt"... The value of a 1 million won concert ticket

The video began with a story from a viewer. The story involved purchasing a good seat for 1 million won instead of a 150,000 won ticket for the first group concert of a favorite idol. Having failed both to secure pre-sale tickets and cancellation tickets, the viewer chose the expensive ticket because they felt they would regret it for the rest of their lives if they missed the performance. Regarding the concern of hearing criticism from friends saying, "Aren't you being exploited because you like them?", the cast members offered their own perspectives.

One of the cast members replied, "As long as you aren't going into debt to spend on something you like, I don't understand why anyone would say anything about spending my own money," adding that "if you say you couldn't do something because of money, you might regret it for a lifetime, so if you gained memories worth more than 1 million won, that is enough." They then gave the protagonist of the story jokingly advice to "cut those friends off," showing a view that hobby spending within a manageable range can be interpreted not as simple waste, but as an 'investment for memories.'

'Geeks' who spend more than 100% of their salary... From watching football live to wine collecting

The scale of hobby spending revealed by the cast members was considerable. One cast member stated that they spent approximately 12 million won for a 3-week stay during the FIFA World Cup 2026 period, including accommodation, airfare, local stay costs, match tickets, and clothing purchases to watch football live. It was also revealed that they spent about 10 million won during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and they have spent a total of more than 60 million won on football-related consumption from 2022 to the present.

A cast member who cited alcohol as a hobby said, "I visit bars to explore gastronomy and alcohol, and there are months when I spend more than 100% of my salary." In particular, this cast member showed that they place high value on the 'experience' itself—going beyond simply drinking alcohol to having deep conversations with bartenders about techniques or the degree of ice dilution. They added, "When I am drinking whisky that costs about 50,000 won per glass, I hate it if someone says something next to me," expressing a preference for spaces with people who can understand them or experts.

Another cast member chose wine collecting as a hobby and explained that they spend about 40 million to 60 million won annually. This included a case of purchasing and storing 'Monfortino,' a 2008 vintage Italian wine, to celebrate a 20th wedding anniversary. While the current local price of that wine in Italy has soared to about 3 million won, the cast member stated they were lucky enough to purchase it at half price. Additionally, an anecdote was shared about purchasing a 1993 vintage 'Château Cheval Blanc' for about 700,000 won to share with colleagues who worked hard together at a previous job during a career move. Professional insight was also provided that for Bordeaux wines, the taste differs depending on the vintage, and the price can vary by two to three times.

Records of 'Fangirling/Fanboying' that share historical moments

Cases appeared where hobby life goes beyond simple consumption to provide deep emotional satisfaction to an individual's life. A cast member who is a football fan shared the experience of personally producing and delivering a commemorative frame for Son Heung-min's 137th International A Match appearance. The cast member owns a mini version of that frame and expressed feeling great honor in the fact that they shared a historical moment, such as receiving Son Heung-min's autograph directly during the process.