• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.377-389
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• 2011

The object of this study was to analyze the meaning of luxurious consumption, the subjects and the objects of luxurious consumption, the desires that propel luxurious consumption, and the luxurious consumption patterns of the past and the present. The materials and information used for this research were acquired by reviewing literatures from a library. The time frame used to separate the past and the present was the Second World War. The analyzed materials and contents for the research were the subjects and the objects of luxurious consumption, the desires that propel luxurious consumption, and the patterns of luxurious consumption. Comparing the trends of luxurious consumption of the past and present historically, the biggest differentiation between the past and present was the spread of subjects and objects of luxurious consumption. In the past, luxury consumption belonged to the wealthy only, but the accessibility of luxury consumption has increased to the point where anybody can buy what they want at will. Another difference was found in the desires that prompt luxury consumption and the consumption patterns of the past and present. Based on these results, several suggestions about luxury consumption were presented in this paper.