India, June 16 -- Imagine scrolling through a premium shopping app, picking out your favourite clothes or a gourmet meal, and hitting 'order', only for your bank balance to remain untouched and nothing ever arrives at your door.

Welcome to the latest trend taking over South Korea: 'dopamine sites'. Sweeping the country's youth, this hyper-realistic internet phenomenon involves fake e-commerce apps and food delivery simulators, designed to trick your brain into feeling the high of a shopping spree, completely free of charge.

These platforms look and feel indistinguishable from real retail apps. Users can filter by price, read customer reviews, and apply discount coupons.

The illusion doesn't end at checkout. Once you press Place Order, ...