I-DLE's Minnie confesses she has a shopping addiction

On the May 13 episode of the web variety show 'Salon Drip 2,' hosted by Jang Do Yeon, I-DLE members Minnie and Yuqi made a guest appearance.

During the show, the two idols, Minnie from Thailand and Yuqi from China, opened up about managing their finances since they don't live with their families. They shared, “Most of the Korean members have their parents managing their money, but we have to take care of it ourselves.”

Yuqi, who visits the bank at least once a month, said, “I’m close with the branch manager at KB Kookmin Bank. He told me, ‘You come to the bank more often and manage your money better than most Koreans.’” She added that she invests in savings, installment plans, bonds, and funds. Minnie also revealed, “I invest in funds too.”

Both idols said they mainly use credit cards. Minnie shared, “As a foreigner, I often run into credit limit issues. Even after raising my credit limit, it’s still not enough.” Yuqi teased, “Maybe it’s just because you spend too much,” making everyone laugh.

Yuqi went on to reveal, “Minnie is such a shopping addict that she’ll even borrow my credit card to buy things.” Minnie admitted, “I max out all the cards I have, borrow others’ cards, and eventually end up using my dad’s card and paying him back too. I’ve been addicted to shopping since my trainee days.”

Minnie then exposed Yuqi in return, saying, “I spend small amounts often, but Yuqi spends big all at once.” Yuqi explained, “Spending under 100,000 KRW (71 USD) on daily stuff feels fine, but spending between 500,000 to 2 million KRW (353 to 1,412 USD)  feels way too expensive. But if it’s over 10 million KRW (7,062 USD), somehow it feels okay. I don’t hesitate to buy really expensive things.”

Minnie, whose father is the vice president of Thailand’s first-ever bank, was asked if she received financial advice or learned financial techniques from her family. She replied, “Since I earn money in Korea, I manage my finances here,” firmly adding, “My money is my money, and my dad’s money is my dad’s.”

Meanwhile, the two idols, who receive VIP-level treatment in their respective home countries, also showed pride in their overseas popularity. Minnie said, “Even my mom is recognized in Thailand, and she enjoys it.” She added, “Recently, my brother went to China and said Yuqi’s face was plastered everywhere.”

Yuqi shared, “I’ve filmed ads for clothes and phones,” to which Minnie cheekily responded, “Yuqi is really rich,” sparking laughter.