"A bride feeling hurt for not receiving congratulatory money despite paying hotel fees with welfare points"

Past Controversy Reexamined Among Netizens
Criticized for Not Paying Wedding Gift Money in Cash

A woman who used her company welfare points to book a luxury hotel as a wedding gift for her friend of 17 years, only to be insulted with the words "Are you even a friend?" instead of a "Thank you," has once again become a hot topic among netizens. On the 19th, a post titled 'Fought with a friend for not giving a wedding gift money at the wedding' was uploaded on an online community.

A woman who used her company welfare points to book a luxury hotel as a wedding gift for a friend she had known for 17 years received an insult saying, "Are you even a friend?" instead of a "Thank you," sparking renewed controversy among netizens.
[Photo by Kim Dahee, Asia Economy]

The post was written two years ago, and the author, Ms. A, said, "My friend had some circumstances and was going to postpone the honeymoon and spend about a week in Jeju Island for a hotel vacation. She asked me if I could book it using my company's welfare discount." Ms. A added, "I couldn't attend the friend's wedding anyway, so I already felt sorry. Of course, there was no reason not to help, so I booked the hotel my friend wanted under my name, used the employee discount, and paid the 1.4 million KRW accommodation fee entirely with my company welfare points, telling her 'This is your wedding gift.' She was extremely happy."

The hotel Ms. A's friend wanted cost about 2.2 million KRW, and Ms. A received an employee discount worth about 800,000 KRW. She paid the remaining 1.4 million KRW with her company welfare points. One week after the wedding, friend B suddenly asked Ms. A, "Didn't you give any wedding gift money?" Ms. A said, "At first, I thought it was a joke and said, 'I paid 2.27 million KRW for the hotel vacation,' but she retorted, 'Isn't that just virtual points? In the end, you didn't spend a single won in cash on my wedding,' and confronted me."

Ms. A replied, "What, did I pay for the hotel with Go-Stop game money? You can buy things and pay credit card bills with those points." Despite Ms. A's answer, B insisted that she hadn't given any wedding gift money, and an argument ensued. Suddenly, B's husband took the phone and started insulting Ms. A. Ms. A said, "After the trip, I didn't even get a single message, let alone a gift. It's infuriating. She must have been lying in the hotel I paid for, checking whether I gave a wedding gift or not." She added, "I'm prepared to face disciplinary action at work, but I will voluntarily report the misuse of employee discounts for others, cancel the payment, and claim compensation from you who actually used it," demanding that B send the hotel payment cost. When her friend did not send the full hotel cost, Ms. A informed B's parents of the situation.

Ms. A said she received the remaining amount from B's parents, who apologized on her behalf, saying, "They said they knew how well I took care of their daughter." She added, "The friend was at fault, so why should the parents apologize? But when I saw them face to face, spoke with them, and held their hands as they apologized directly, I was moved to tears." Netizens who read the story responded with comments such as, "When someone's kindness continues, they start to think it's a right," "She received so much but made a fuss about not giving wedding gift money," "Isn't welfare points practically part of the salary?" and "It seems many people no longer accept kindness as kindness."