Youth never disappears—it simply changes meaning.
Once, "Young Forty" (영포티, yeongpoti) was one of Korea's most attractive marketing terms. Representing trend-aware consumers with purchasing power who invested in self-care, this demographic was recognized as a key force driving Korea's consumer market. In 2018, the Maeil Business Newspaper introduced them as "young people in their forties emerging as major retail spenders." However, a decade later, the term's meaning has completely transformed.
From Praise to Ridicule
In 2025, "Young Forty" is no longer a compliment. On social media, it has become a symbol of mockery—"middle-aged people pretending to be young" or "narcissistic ajae (uncles)." The Chosun Ilbo described 2025's Young Forty generation as "immature middle-aged people who want to remain forever young without self-awareness," pointing out their fall from grace. In just one generation, praise turned into extreme derision.
Psychological Boundaries and Territory Invasion
This phenomenon can be explained through several psychological and cultural theories. From Leon Festinger's Social Comparison Theory perspective, the Young Forty generation attempted to confirm their "youth" through upward comparison with younger generations. However, this was perceived by young people as "copying" or "imitation," generating resentment.
According to Social Identity Theory, for the MZ generation, "young people in their forties" became "identity competitors" invading their cultural territory. The more they adopted MZ language and style, the more young people drew psychological boundaries.
Korean Context: Face Culture and Media Commercialism
The particularly sharp mockery stems from Korea's unique psychological background and excessive "youth marketing." In societies like Korea, where social success and negative perceptions of aging are strong, "youth" becomes "symbolic capital" that demonstrates social survival and value.
Korea's unique "face" (체면, chemyeon) culture amplifies this anxiety. For this generation who experienced the late 1990s IMF financial crisis, conspicuous consumption serves as compensation for past deprivation. However, this appears to younger generations facing diminished economic opportunities as immature showing off.
At the center lies media commercialism. The term "Young Forty" itself was originally a marketing term. Media packaged them as "new consumption subjects," but when sensibilities changed, those same media outlets produced content mocking "Young Forty" to drive clicks and traffic.
What Companies Should Learn
Consumers no longer purchase "youth" as a product. Only brands that speak of "the dignity of aging" and "the wisdom of experience" earn genuine trust. AI-based sentiment analysis and "meme tracking" are now necessary. True youth is not about defying age but about breaking down and reconnecting across generational walls.
This article is translated and adapted from the original Korean article "[소비문화 INSIGHT] 한국에서 영포티는 왜 조롱의 이름이 되었을까?" by Professor Seungchul Yoo, published in Banronbodo.com on November 27, 2025. © Banronbodo.com. Translated and republished with attribution.
