Red Velvet’s Wendy may have been born into a rich family, but she is known to keep a low profile when it comes to spending her money. Since the Korean girl group’s debut in 2014, fans have praised Wendy and her co-members for not buying fancy cars and large houses, and instead donating a portion of their earnings to worthwhile causes – especially those who were affected by the Covid-19 outbreak. This past Christmas, Wendy made the most of her time off by spending it with her loved ones. But on Christmas Eve, she unwittingly revealed a glimpse of her wealth, when she shared an Instagram story of her festive dinner; the table was laid with fruit salad, roasted meat, creamy mashed potatoes, grilled vegetables and a glass of wine. How K-pop genius Rain became one of Korea’s richest celebrities i found wendy’s blue porcelain dinnerwares it’s from a russian brand called lomonosov and they’re all hand painted and embellished with 24 karat gold.. i don’t even want to say the price anymore go check it out by yourself https://t.co/KSuT2fo3Qy pic.twitter.com/gVnQMteCZY — ً (@ilyerene) December 24, 2020 But it’s not the meal that eagle-eyed fans noticed; it was tableware from Russian brand Lomonosov that caught their attention. The embellished plates were from the Cobalt Net range, and the full set costs US$1,470. So, aside from her decadent dinnerware, what other signs point to Wendy’s affluence, and how else does she spend her money on? She was born in Seongbuk-dong, a wealthy neighbourhood in South Korea that you just might recognise Wendy was born in Seongbuk-dong, known as South Korea’s Beverly Hills. The area was once owned by royals during the lengthy Joseon dynasty, and is now favoured by wealthy families, actors, politicians, and diplomats. Rent is estimated to be around US$12,000. Reel to real: which of these 6 off-screen K-drama romances were built to last? You might recognise Seongbuk-dong as one of the principle shooting locations of the Oscar-winning movie Parasite – the glamorous mansion of the Parks was clearly inspired by the affluent neighbourhood. She attended top-notch schools Wendy and her older sister moved to Canada to study abroad. She attended Shattuck-St. Mary’s School, a boarding school in Faribault, Minnesota. According to the school website, the tuition fees are currently US$55,000. The school website also points out that “she earned an award from former president Barack Obama for outstanding academic excellence and leadership within the community.” She later studied at Richmond Hill High School in Ontario, where she was an active member of the school choir, Vocal Fusion – and naturally she now speaks fluent English . Why the internet is crazy for Aespa’s Karina – only a month after debut Her family has a mansion in Canada In a 2018 radio show interview, Red Velvet’s Joy joked that Wendy’s mansion in Canada had 50 rooms. She said she’d wanted to visit because Wendy had offered her free boarding and food in the sizeable house. Caught off guard, Wendy tried to clarify Joy’s exaggerated claim, hurrying to point out she had no idea how many rooms her home had – somehow managing to prove Joy’s original point! She wears a lot of luxury clothing [PICS] 170704 Red Velvet Summer Mini Album 'The Red Summer' Teaser Image - Wendy (3) pic.twitter.com/QPHUhU0zkV — Girl Group Zone! (@girlgroupzone) July 4, 2017 Expensive clothing is part and parcel of a K-pop idol’s wardrobe. For the teaser of Red Velvet’s mini album, “Red Summer”, Wendy wore a Lisa Marie Fernandez bikini and an altered Dolce & Gabbana T-shirt. Both pieces had a combined price tag of US$1,833, according to Koreaboo. Why Twice have the most fateful origins story in K-pop She donates a portion of her earnings to a good cause #RedVelvet ’s #Wendy Is Back Home After 3 Months In Hospital Following Her Fall Off Stage in December. The Superstar Donated 100 Million Won In Support Of Coronavirus Relief During her Convalescence! @RVsmtown https://t.co/ClMcb5Lkyo pic.twitter.com/xxHlA7VPT6 — World Music Awards (@WORLDMUSICAWARD) April 3, 2020 Netizens have praised Red Velvet for the fact that, despite having been in the industry for seven years, they have yet to buy a car or a house and have chosen to live an apparently modest life. Last year, they were swift to donate a portion of their earnings to good causes – Wendy, who was recovering from a pelvic fracture at that time, managed to donate 100 million won (US$92,000) to the city of Daegu, which was the epicentre of the Covid-19 outbreak. Want more stories like this? Sign up here . Follow STYLE on Facebook , Instagram , YouTube and Twitter . For more great stories on Korean entertainment, artist profiles and the latest news, visit K-post, SCMP's K-pop hub .