South Korea is a notoriously competitive society. But how do those who play its fierce status games know when they have won? Probably when they are invited to apply for "the black", a credit card issued by Hyundai Card, a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor. Cast in "liquidmetal", a trade-marked alloy suited to armour-piercing ammunition, the card is heavy. It is also rare. Only about 2,000 have been issued and only 9,999 ever will be. To qualify, a holder needs high social standing as well as high net worth. The card charges a stiff membership fee and offers a variety of benefits: members were, for example, invited to a mock Christie's auction, featuring works flown in from New York. But the main reason people want the black card is that it is so difficult to get.
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