this post was submitted on 02 Feb 2026
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jackpots in 2025 averaged 2.06 billion won ($1.41 million), which falls to 1.4 billion won once taxes are deducted.

That after-tax amount is below the average price of an apartment in Seoul, which was 1.5 billion won in December 2025, according to separate data compiled by KB Land, the property data tracker of KB Kookmin Bank.

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[–] pulsewidth@lemmy.world 73 points 2 days ago (2 children)

TFW regular lottery money isn't enough for an average apartment in Seoul, let alone living expenses and upkeep costs.

13058

[–] markovs_gun@lemmy.world 56 points 2 days ago

TFW people realize Squid Game and Parasite are social commentary and not just fun meme shows

[–] Species8472@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Is it The Fuck What? I have no clue. I'm old enough to remember that ROFL was a thing, gramps ain't keeping up.

[–] Polkira@piefed.ca 20 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] FooBarrington@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

When someone doesn't know an initialism?

[–] expatriado@lemmy.world 44 points 2 days ago (1 children)

no wonder they have the lowest fertility

[–] lechekaflan@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago

Exactly, and my country now has some of the largest populations of expat Koreans, because to them it's cheaper living here and they get to learn English faster.

[–] lechekaflan@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago

What Fatboy Kim loves to capitalize on, the awful costs of living south of the DMZ.

[–] Pacattack57@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Seems like they are misrepresenting the costs of buying and renting. It’s the same in the US. If you tried to BUY an apartment building they’d easily charge you close to 1 million in New York. It’s the same concept. Obviously rent in Seoul doesn’t cost 1 billion won per month.

[–] hraegsvelmir@ani.social 10 points 1 day ago

I don't think they are misrepresenting it. Between the NY State Lotto, Powerball and Mega Millions, the state lotto has the lowest estimated cash payout post-tax, and it's still $1.6 million prize. You might be priced out of Chelsea and Soho, but there are plenty of decent enough neighborhoods in the outer boroughs where you can find an apartment for $750,000. The Powerball is the next smallest pot, with an estimated lump sum payment of $29.4 million, which would certainly let you buy an apartment just about anywhere in NYC you wanted, and still have plenty left over for living expenses to not have to work again.

Even then, the NY State Lotto has a smaller jackpot than typical at the moment, considering the average jackpot is $10.26 million, according to the state's website. So, at least in this case, the NY State Lotto still offers one a feasible, if not reasonable, path to homeownership, while the Korean Lotto doesn't offer that with its average jackpot for those who live in Seoul.

[–] Cort@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

Depends on what part of the city, but Bronx/Queens is about half that. Manhattan is double tho

[–] stupidcasey@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago (2 children)

This is more a small lottery, if the US had lotteries that were that little it would be about the price of a house here too, not to say $1.4M is cheap for a house but the US lotteries can easily be <$40M.

[–] TonyTonyChopper@mander.xyz 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I thought most US lottery winnings were like $10

[–] weew@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

That's not the jackpot prize

[–] TonyTonyChopper@mander.xyz 1 points 22 hours ago

best I can do is a tenner

[–] CeeBee_Eh@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

Well, $1.4M is less than $40M. So not sure what you're trying to say.

[–] sepiroth154@feddit.nl 0 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Buying lottery tickets to get a house... Maybe this man should get a financial advisor.

[–] bassomitron@lemmy.world 33 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Yes, because it's totally normal for apartments to cost over $1 million/1.5b won.

[–] Visstix@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

Hey, it worked. Sort of.

[–] tiredofsametab@fedia.io 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I mean, I buy up to a dozen lottery tickets a year next door in Japan. Paying off the house would be first and, were I not already a homeowner, buying one would certainly top the list. Those lottery tickets amount to something like 3600 JPY a year which is probably like 20 USD or so. It's not a financial plan, but I wouldn't complain if I won. I used to spend more than that at starbucks in a month.

[–] sepiroth154@feddit.nl 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Spoiler alert: you won't win.

[–] tiredofsametab@fedia.io 1 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Ah but I have won... just not enough to do more than pay for about a year's worth of tickets. It's not an investment strategy; it's entertainment. If I ever get rich (and I don't expect to), nice bonus.

[–] sepiroth154@feddit.nl 1 points 1 day ago

That's how they get you!

[–] Honytawk@feddit.nl 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The chance of you playing your entire life and never winning a significant amount is much much much higher than you winning decently once.

Because those lottery businesses aren't going to give out more money than they make. Your chance of getting more out of it than you put in is none.

But you do win every time you don't play.

[–] tiredofsametab@fedia.io 1 points 1 day ago

People waste their money on all kinds of dumb shit. Posters, pictures, plastic toys that will just end up in some landfill, etc. This is mine and I almost certainly spend a lot less on it (again, $20-$25 a year in USD depending on the exchange rate). I almost never eat out. I have real investments. This is entertainment.

Edit: to clarify, dumb here means not necessary. Support art and artists, but don't by plastic stuff that's going to end up in a landfill