I was scrolling through Instagram and saw someone caption their coffee photo “영앤리치 라떼타임” - like, it’s an iced latte at a Starbucks, not a yacht party. But that’s how mainstream this phrase has become.
What Does 영앤리치 Mean?
영앤리치 = Young + Rich
It means exactly what it sounds like: someone who made a lot of money while they’re still young. But in Korea, it’s become more than just a description - it’s an aspiration, a flex, and sometimes a joke all at once.
Where Did This Come From?
The Hip-Hop Connection
Korean rappers started throwing “Young and Rich” into their lyrics around the mid-2010s. It fit perfectly with hip-hop’s culture of flexing success, wealth, and making it young.
Then in 2016, 영앤리치레코즈 (Young and Rich Records) launched as a hip-hop label. Suddenly the phrase had a name attached, artists signed to it, and the term spread beyond just lyrics.
Shows like Show Me The Money and Unpretty Rapstar had contestants constantly talking about money, success, and “making it” - 영앤리치 became the shorthand for that dream.
From Rappers to Everyone
What started as hip-hop bragging slowly seeped into:
- News articles about young entrepreneurs
- Instagram captions
- YouTube video titles
- Casual conversations about successful people
Now when Koreans talk about young CEOs, crypto investors who got lucky, or anyone in their 20s-30s with money, 영앤리치 comes up.
How Koreans Actually Use It
The Serious Use
Describing actual young wealthy people:
(Do you know that person? They made a startup and hit it big / Yeah I heard. Total young and rich / So jealous)
News headlines:
- “영앤리치 CEO들의 성공 비결” (Success secrets of young and rich CEOs)
- “2030 영앤리치 급증” (Young and rich in their 20s-30s rapidly increasing)
The Aspirational Use
When you’re manifesting:
“올해 목표: 영앤리치 되기” (This year’s goal: becoming young and rich)
People post this half-seriously, half-joking. Like yes, they want money, but they know it’s not that simple.
The Ironic Use
When you’re definitely not rich:
(Me eating convenience store lunch box while listening to Young and Rich songs… this is comedy lol)
This is probably the most common use now. Self-deprecating humor about the gap between the 영앤리치 lifestyle and reality.
Why This Phrase Stuck
It’s Catchy
Three syllables, easy to say, sounds cool in Korean. 영앤리치 rolls off the tongue better than saying “젊은 부자” (jeolmeun buja - young rich person).
It Captures a Cultural Moment
Korea has this intense focus on success, especially young success. Stories of:
- 20-something startup founders
- Crypto millionaires
- YouTubers making more than doctors
- K-pop idols buying buildings
영앤리치 became the word for all of that.
It Works as Both Dream and Meme
You can use it seriously when talking about someone who actually made it, or ironically when you’re broke but pretending. That flexibility made it last.
Related Terms
영끌 (yeongkkeul) = 영혼까지 끌어모으다 (gathering even your soul)
This is when people take out every possible loan, mortgage, and investment to buy real estate or stocks. The opposite energy of 영앤리치 - it’s desperate, risky, and very 2020s Korea.
탕진잼 (tangjinjaem) = 탕진 (squandering) + 재미 (fun)
When you spend all your money on things you enjoy instead of saving. Also the opposite of 영앤리치 mentality, but in a “YOLO” way.
파이어족 (paieojok) = Financial Independence, Retire Early
People trying to save aggressively to retire young. Kind of related to 영앤리치, but focused on freedom rather than flex.
The Reality Check
Here’s the thing about 영앤리치 culture in Korea: it’s aspirational, but it also creates pressure.
Korean media constantly features:
- 20-year-old building owners
- Startup founders worth billions
- YouTubers making millions
This makes regular 20-30 somethings feel behind. You’re in your late 20s working a normal job, and articles keep talking about “영앤리치” people your age who own buildings.
The phrase itself is neutral, but the culture around it can be exhausting. Not everyone needs to be rich by 30. Not everyone wants to be.
When to Use It
Use it when:
- Talking about someone who genuinely succeeded young
- Joking about wanting to be rich
- Being ironic about your broke reality
- Discussing Korean wealth culture
Don’t use it when:
- Talking to someone older (they might not know the term)
- Being serious about financial advice
- Around people sensitive about money
Quick Phrases
Serious:
- 완전 영앤리치네 (wanjeon yeong-aen-richine) - “Total young and rich”
- 영앤리치가 꿈이야 (yeong-aen-richiga kkumiya) - “Being young and rich is my dream”
Ironic:
- 영앤리치는 무슨 (yeong-aen-richineun museun) - “Young and rich my ass”
- 영앤리치 포기 (yeong-aen-richi pogi) - “Giving up on young and rich”
Aspirational:
- 영앤리치 되고 싶다 (yeong-aen-richi doego sipda) - “I want to become young and rich”
- 나도 영앤리치 될 거야 (nado yeong-aen-richi doel geoya) - “I’m going to be young and rich too”
My Experience
I first heard 영앤리치 from my younger cousin who’s into Korean hip-hop. He kept using it to describe rappers on Show Me The Money. I thought it was just hip-hop slang.
Then I started seeing it everywhere - news articles, Instagram captions, even my mom asking “그 영앤리치 사람들은 어떻게 돈 벌었대?” (How did those young and rich people make money?) when watching the news.
My friend group uses it ironically most of the time. Someone buys a nice coat and we’re like “오 영앤리치?” (Oh young and rich?) knowing they saved for months. Or we’re eating ramyeon at 2am and someone goes “영앤리치의 저녁 식사” (dinner of the young and rich) and we all laugh.
The phrase is fun until you think about it too hard. Korea’s wealth gap is real, and the pressure to “make it young” is intense. But as a piece of slang, it’s catchy and versatile enough that it’s not going anywhere.
Related Posts
영앤리치 되고 싶냐고? 그럼. 근데 일단 오늘 저녁은 편의점 도시락이야 ㅋㅋ
(Do I want to be young and rich? Of course. But tonight’s dinner is a convenience store lunch box lol)