Koreans Only Care About Money Apparently

I found this interesting article in the Chosun Ilbo titled "Koreans Most Materialistic People in the World".

More than two-thirds of Koreans consider money the most important sign of success, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released Tuesday. Korea and China topped the poll of 24,000 people in 23 countries on the question at 69 percent.

They were followed by India (67 percent) and Japan (63 percent).

But respondents in Western countries regard money as a less important indicator of success. A mere 27 percent of Canadians thought money spells success, followed by Swedes (28 percent), Dutch (29 percent), and French (32 percent).

Even in the U.S., only 33 percent of Americans agreed that money means success, and 67 percent disagreed. The worldwide average is 43 percent.

The young are more materialistic, with 48 percent of the under-35s seeing money as the hallmark of success, compared with 35 percent of those aged 55 and older.

Eighty-four percent of Koreans, Japanese and Chinese said money is more important than it used to be.

It is very interesting that all the countries that stress money as an indicator of success are in the East (China, Japan, Korea, and India).  This seemingly explains their rise in economic power over the last twenty years and transfer of GDP and growth from the West to the East.  Or maybe the causal relationship is the other way around.  Perhaps the West no longer values money because they are in decline and losing it.  They have to look elsewhere for happiness and prosperity in their future.

I realize there is a difference between materialistic and superficial... but they often have a strong correlation.  So enjoy this youtube tutorial I found of how to give yourself KPOP hair.