A growing number of young Koreans are trying “No-Buy Month,” a self-imposed challenge where people avoid unnecessary purchases for 30 days. Instead of buying clothes, gadgets, or décor, participants track spending, repair old items, and share progress on social media. What makes this trend interesting in Korea is that it’s not framed as deprivation—it’s framed as control. In a hyper-consumer society, not buying has become a statement of independence, financial maturity, and mental clarity. Many say the challenge reduces stress, improves focus, and even changes how they define happiness.
Why it evolved: Rising living costs, burnout culture, and social media fatigue pushed younger generations to redefine success—less accumulation, more intention.
The “No-Buy” or “No-Spend” challenge trend in Korea emerged gradually as an online lifestyle trend rather than as an organized campaign.
Social-media posts and hashtags around no-spend or no-buy challenges were already widely visible in 2022, with Koreans sharing their personal efforts to limit discretionary spending amid rising inflation. Variants like “No Buy January” (where people only spend on essentials for the whole month) also circulated on platforms in recent years, similar to international no-spend-month movements. Ot also appears in news reports from mid-2022 onward, coinciding with economic pressures that made saving and intentional consumption more salient for Millennials and Gen Z.
Vocabulary
- 소비 (sobi) – consumption
- 절약 (jeoryak) – saving money
- 필요 없는 지출 (piryohan eomneun jichul) – unnecessary spending
- 한 달 챌린지 (han dal chaellinji) – one-month challenge
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