The difference between ‘Young & Rich’ rising stars Freezia and Lee Jung

If we were to pick young stars who have recently shot to fame as representative icons of the term ‘Young & Rich’, it would be dancer Lee Jung and social media influencer Freezia (Song Ji-a).

Having the same Young & Rich image, but there is a difference between Lee Jung and Freezia. This is because Lee Jung’s young and rich vibes radiate from the magnificent success of her career, while Freezia’s is from where she lives, the clothes she wears, and the way she enjoys such wealth.

Lee Jung’s Young & Rich image can be symbolized by her iconic line from “Street Woman Fighter”: “What did you do when you were 24 years old?”. She worked harder than anyone in the job that she loves and perfected her skills to stand on the global stage at an early age.

As a result, when she was only 24 years old (as of 2021), Lee Jung was already choreographing for many famous idols and earning high profits with exceptional results. An evidence of her ‘Young & Rich’ success is that on an entertainment show, Lee Jung was seen throwing off a cumbersome accessory from her wrist while dancing, and it turned out that it was a product from an expensive brand.

On stage, Lee Jung’s dedication and professionalism as a dancer who doesn’t care about luxury items is enough to make viewers reconsider the original meaning of ‘Young & Rich’. Lee Jung’s ‘Young & Rich’ is defined by how sincere, talented and confident she is in what she is doing. How much money she has accumulated at such a young age is only superficial.

On the other hand, FreeZia’s “Young & Rich” vibe starts with wealth, as can be seen from her image of a “golden spoon” (which means someone coming from a rich family background). She emerged as a symbol of “Young & Rich”, showing scenes of enjoying her accumulated wealth through the single-person media and enjoying such a life with young and pretty appearance that anyone in a capitalist society would have dreamed of at least once.

So it’s very important how rich and splendid life is for FreeZia at such a young age. It is no exaggeration to say that her sincerity for this “Young & Rich” lies in that part. The reason why she has no choice but to choose products with unusually high prices despite the view that she only wears luxury goods is a key factor in completing FreeZia’s “Young & Rich” worldview.

Proving this point is the controversy over the use of fake goods surrounding FreeZia, which has been around for a while. Some of the products she wore were counterfeit luxury goods, and it is no one else but FreeZia who wore the fake goods but pretended to be luxury goods. FreeZia’s appearance in flawless luxury goods is a detail that is directly connected to the “Young & Rich” authenticity she has cultivated. Even if only a part of her items are fake and not all, the damage toward her will inevitably be great.

This is because authenticity is bound to be damaged from the moment the word “fake item” is inserted, no matter how small it is. The situation FreeZia is currently facing, contrary to Lee Jung’s case, makes us aware of the illusion of “Young & Rich”. Being young and rich is a rare privilege which is impossible at most times, which is why such an illusion can happen to someone someday, but it is even more bitter that the exposed one was called an icon which rode the wave to stardom thanks to her “Young and Rich” status.

For the “Young & Rich” type where everything needs to be showcased and visually built, superficial conditions are important. Such a type will be at high risk of collapsing if one of the conditions are not met, while the type of “Young & Rich” which flows from one’s inner vibe that has been cultivated by itself, boasts a firmness that will not be shaken at all. For example, even if Lee Jung wore fake clothes, there would not have been as much controversy as what FreeZia is encountering. Which type is the “Young & Rich” you envy or pursue?