If it’s ‘hollow’, then should we be watching, you will naturally ask, dear smart investors! Look at it this way: watch it so you stop yourself from becoming like them.
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Money Can’t Buy You Love
The Beatles sang this song ages ago, and when you see David Yong all peacocked up in Celine jackets, and see his story unravel in front of us, you feel sorry for him. He’s a Singaporean living in Korea, and says his family has timber businesses in Cambodia and other SE Asian countries. He has opened an Entertainment business in Korea (since K-dramas are internationally big). He lives in the tallest tower in Seoul, has designer clothing on racks, designer bags in his living room and yes a money counting machine.
He knows the price of everything and all the time. So much so that you’d wish he had left price tags on his clothes, shoes and everything else. In fact you’ll say, ‘He drives a ferrari, but is turned down at the restaurant because there’s no parking!’ He calls his butler/driver/dog walker to help, but he’s late for a date! At the ‘blind date’ – a concept k-drama viewers are familiar with, the two girls laugh at him and have eyes only for his Italian friend Teodoro Marani (another rich brat) who clearly knows how to seduce women.
Dear savvy investor, I hope you make more money than you can ever count. And wear fabulous clothes. But never have the need to flash your black credit card to buy a house. Spend money, but discreetly. And love? If your display of wealth is conspicuous, then what kind of love/friends will you attract?
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A Golden Cage Is A Cage Too
One of the super rich women is married to a Pakistani nobleman from Sargodha. Their homes are stunningly beautiful, they have lion and tiger cubs playing in the lawns, invite the best qawwali singers and designers for their anniversary party, and their homes are guarded by AK47 totting guards.
She runs a business of bringing Korean cosmetics to Pakistan, and is able to fly to Dubai to buy kimchi, but you feel sad for her because no matter how much wealth her family has, her husband is denied a visa to Korea.
Dear investor, when you have all the money in the world, and your movements are restricted, then are you any better than a caged exotic bird?
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Manners Maketh The Man
Aren Yoo who is known as ‘Paris Hilton of Korea’ is painfully thin and even though she gets a front seat at Paris Fashion Week, has Dolce & Gabbana close their store to hold a birthday party for her, still shows off all the ‘free’ stuff that comes along her appearances, and two dresses as a gift from her designer friend who didn’t show up for her party.
Teodoro Marani is the heir to an Italian fashion, home decor brand who has a tough dinner conversation with his father who wants him back home. But he’s spending time charming women who are there to meet his friend David Yong for marriage and flirting with the real estate agent when accompanying David to find a home. Better to not have friends than a friend like him!
He, too, tries to impress a girl by telling her the cost of the designer WW2 room within his store and the desk by the same designer. Even though he cooks risotto for her, he comes across as hollow because he says that it is ‘private cooking studio’.
You can’t buy class, dear investor. So no matter how much money you make, spend time (and money if needed) to learn the common courtesy when you’re living in or travelling to another country for work.
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Three hosts Bam Bam, Cho Saeho and Mimi laugh at the antics of these ridiculous rich people. But their awe at watches ‘bought at a private auction’ is cut down as soon as Mimi says, ‘But you can check time on your phones, no?!’
I hope you give away your designer togs to a charity auction, never tell all and sundry how much everything costs but truly value your possessions, and for goodness sake, don’t envy these people, because even common folk in India easily avail the services of a dhobi, househelp and cook!
Manisha Lakhe is a poet, film critic, traveller, founder of Caferati — an online writer’s forum, hosts Mumbai’s oldest open mic, and teaches advertising, films and communication. She can be reached on Twitter at @manishalakhe.
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Published: 18 May 2024, 10:14 AM IST