A Bowl of Naengmyeon to Beat the Heat for 13,000 Won
Civilians Say "Delicious but Expensive for One Meal"
[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] As dining-out prices soar, the food expenses burden on ordinary citizens is increasing day by day. In particular, the average price of a bowl of naengmyeon, a representative summer dish, has easily surpassed 10,000 won, prompting complaints among citizens such as "It is no longer an affordable dish for ordinary people" and "I was surprised by how quietly expensive it is."
According to the Korea Consumer Agency's comprehensive price information portal 'Chamgagyeok,' as of June, the average price of naengmyeon in the Seoul area was 10,269 won, up 4.7% from January this year (9,808 won) and nearly 10% compared to the same month last year (9,346 won). The price of a bowl of naengmyeon (mul naengmyeon standard) at major restaurants known as the 'Six Best Naengmyeon Restaurants in Seoul' ranged from 13,000 won to 16,000 won.
Nevertheless, in front of naengmyeon restaurants located in commercial districts crowded with companies, dozens of customers line up every lunch hour. On the afternoon of the 26th, in front of a Pyongyang naengmyeon restaurant in Seoul, more than 20 customers were already waiting to eat naengmyeon before the dinner service started at 5 p.m. Ten minutes after opening, almost all seats on the second floor were filled.
A bowl of mul naengmyeon at this restaurant costs 13,000 won, making it the cheapest among the six best naengmyeon restaurants in Seoul. Plate dumplings were 13,000 won, and a plate of boiled pork was 28,000 won. I ate one bowl of naengmyeon and one plate of boiled pork with an acquaintance. Adding one bottle of soju (4,000 won), the total came to 58,000 won, meaning 29,000 won per person.
Mr. Lim, a man in his 30s who came to eat naengmyeon after a long time due to the heatwave, said, "The prices were not listed on the order sheet, so I ordered without checking, but I was surprised when it came to nearly 30,000 won per person." He added, "It tastes so good, but it's burdensome to eat one meal, so I probably won't come often." Mr. Kim, a man in his 20s who eats naengmyeon at least once every two weeks, said, "I often come to eat Pyongyang naengmyeon with friends, and when several people come, 100,000 won is the basic cost." He added, "It doesn't look like it contains many ingredients, so I think it's too expensive, but since it tastes good, I just come to eat."
The rise in naengmyeon prices is mainly due to the increased cost of raw materials such as buckwheat, the main ingredient, as well as various vegetables and meats. Not only naengmyeon but also other noodle dishes like kongguksu, makguksu, and jajangmyeon, which contain wheat flour, are experiencing price increases. Jajangmyeon, which is as popular as naengmyeon, had an average price of 6,262 won in the Seoul area last month, up 8.5% from 5,769 won in January this year, marking the highest increase among eight representative dining-out items.
Mr. Lee, a 60-year-old industry insider in the naengmyeon business, said, "Naengmyeon is basically made from buckwheat and starch flour, and buckwheat prices have risen significantly since last year. Additionally, due to the summer monsoon season, prices of agricultural products like lettuce, chili peppers, and radish have increased a lot, so we had no choice but to raise the selling price." He added, "Since we cannot reduce labor costs, we reluctantly raised the naengmyeon price by 2,000 won two months ago."
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