Rolex Watches Loved by Cha Eun-woo, Hyun Bin, and NCT Mark: Why the Controversy in Korea?

Rolex, one of the most prestigious luxury watch brands beloved by celebrities worldwide, is currently under fire in South Korea for changing its reservation policy at select stores.

The brand has long been popular among high-profile figures. Actor Cha Eun-woo drew attention when he wore a vintage Rolex Datejust Green Dial 1603 during a press conference for JTBC’s 'My ID is Gangnam Beauty.' Actor Hyun Bin also made headlines for sporting a Rolex Submariner 116610. Meanwhile, NCT’s Mark created buzz by gifting rapper Lee Young-ji a Rolex worth approximately ₩16 million KRW (about $11,000 USD) after her feature on his album.

However, despite its luxury image, Rolex has recently found itself at the center of controversy. According to a report by Chosun Biz, some official Korean dealers have introduced a new "pre-consultation" policy, replacing the previous online reservation system. While customers previously had a chance to purchase a product simply by securing an online appointment, they now must go through a pre-screening process—effectively waiting to be selected by the store.

The change appears to be aimed at deterring resellers—people who purchase in-demand watches to resell at a profit. But public criticism has emerged over the consultation process, which allegedly includes questions about a customer’s occupation and residential address, raising concerns about customer discrimination.

Rolex operates 11 official stores in South Korea through local dealers. Among them, Uno Watch at Hyundai Department Store Apgujeong and Greenwich at Shinsegae Department Store (Main Branch) have adopted the new reservation procedures.

Popular models such as the Sky-Dweller and GMT have resale premiums ranging from ₩5 million to ₩10 million ($3,400–$6,800), fueling the reseller market. Rolex has previously revised its sales methods multiple times to combat this issue. The brand initially relied on a first-come, first-served system, but when that led to overnight camping and chaotic “open-run” scenes, it introduced an online reservation platform.

The former system opened appointments monthly at midnight on the last day of each month, allowing customers to book a time slot to visit the store. On the day of the appointment, customers could choose from the available inventory. However, this too became problematic as resellers began using bots to snap up reservations instantly.

In response, Uno Watch and Greenwich implemented a new model this month. At Uno Watch, customers must first register online. The store then contacts applicants to finalize the date and time for a consultation. During this call, customers are reportedly asked not only about their desired watch model and previous purchases from other stores or brands, but also their occupation and place of residence—a move that has triggered significant backlash for potentially filtering customers.

Greenwich has taken a slightly different approach. While there are no online or in-store restrictions for consultations, walk-in customers are required to fill out a consultation card after speaking with staff. The store will later contact customers if the desired watch becomes available.