South Korea is experiencing a gold investment boom, with gold banking balances exceeding ₩1.1 trillion ($825 million) in April 2025, nearly double the figure from a year ago. Physical gold demand has also surged, with April sales of gold bars reaching ₩34.87 billion ($26 million), more than four times higher than April 2024. This increased demand has caused supply shortages, forcing manufacturers to temporarily halt distribution earlier this year. Banks are now gradually resuming sales of various gold bar sizes as inventory improves, with prices in Korea’s gold market up 16.3% since the end of 2024.

Videos
Why Don’t We Use Gold to Buy Coffee?
Why don’t we pay for coffee with gold? It’s a fair question — after all, gold has been considered money for thousands of years. But if it’s so valuable, why don’t we use it for everyday transactions? In a recent video, Alan Hibbard unpacks this common misconception, offering a powerful explanation of why gold still matters — not as a medium of exchange, but as a store of value. Below, we’ve broken down the key concepts from his talk, laying the groundwork for what will be a six-part educational series, Hidden Secrets of Value. What It Means to “Use” Money