Rising hotel wedding meal costs spark debate over gift etiquette

Citizens in Itaewon discussed changing social standards during a KakaoBank video session, where one guest recounted being questioned by a bride after giving 100,000 won for a meal costing 90,000 won.

Debates over how much to give as wedding congratulatory money remain heated. As hotel weddings become more frequent, citizens are increasingly concerned about setting gift standards in response to rising meal costs.

In the final episode of "Donkitaka," a video content series released by KakaoBank, citizens visiting the streets of Itaewon discussed various topics directly linked to money, such as marriage, home ownership, investment, and career paths. The session shared honest views from citizens regarding changing social etiquette for family events and housing issues.

"Meal costs 90,000 won, so 100,000 won is..." Controversy over hotel wedding gifts

Citizens presented different experiences and standards regarding wedding gift amounts. In particular, opinions emerged that deciding on an amount is difficult for hotel weddings due to high meal costs.

According to the video, one story featured a bride's friend who attended a hotel wedding and gave 100,000 won in congratulatory money, only to be contacted by the married friend asking, "The meal cost is 90,000 won per person, so how can you only give 100,000 won?" In response, citizens at the scene said they have clear standards based on the depth of the relationship.

Recalling an experience attending a hotel wedding in the past, one citizen said, "It was a grand meal with steak and course menus, but since I didn't know it was a hotel wedding, I gave 100,000 won without thinking much about it." They added that after learning the level of the meal cost, they worried about not having given an appropriate amount.

Regarding the amount, one citizen explained, "If it is a friend I contact often and maintain a steady relationship with, I can give up to 500,000 won," and "For a very close friend, I would give 1,000,000 won without hesitation, but if I attend the venue in person, I usually use 200,000 won as a standard." Conversely, for official or external relationships, they stated they sometimes give around 100,000 won and do not attend.

"The era of 1.6 billion won Seoul housing" Divergent views on home ownership

Opinions were split between "stability" and "freedom" regarding housing issues. When asked if owning a home is essential due to high housing prices in Seoul, citizens shared their realistic concerns.

One citizen emphasized the necessity of home ownership, stating, "A house is a must as a means of tying up stable funds." On the other hand, another citizen said, "I don't think it's absolutely necessary, but it is good to have," adding, "Because of the burden of moving fees from frequent moves and anxiety over Jeonse loans, it is good to buy if you have the means."

As realistic points were raised that at least 1.6 billion won is needed to secure a house in Seoul, various opinions were exchanged regarding asset formation through real estate. One citizen revealed they use the method of purchasing real estate and paying off loans as a way of wealth management, to which a joking response was made that "since they are doing it all by taking out loans, it is more for those who already have a house."

"Between stage dopamine and livelihood" The realistic struggles of artists

The voices of artists struggling between dreams and livelihood were also captured. One citizen working as a musical actor confessed that they cannot leave the profession because of the "dopamine" provided by the applause and lights on stage, yet did not hide concerns about irregular income.

This citizen said, "Since musical actors are freelancers, once a performance ends, you have to constantly think about how to continue your livelihood," and "To continue doing the work I love, I am building an economic foundation by working other jobs, such as appearing on home shopping channels." This highlighted the hardships of artists striving to bridge the gap between artistic achievement and maintaining a realistic livelihood.

The discrepancy between the rewards of life as an artist and realistic livelihood issues was mentioned at the scene. One citizen said, "I think I can't leave the stage because of that single hit of dopamine just before the lights go out and the applause is received during the curtain call," while also suggesting realistic difficulties by noting, "Out of 24 hours, the time spent receiving applause is less than 10 minutes."

Source: original video (YouTube)