[Report] 'Cupbap' Cooling Down, 'Buffet' Heating Up... Noryangjin 'Restaurant Trends'

Cupbap Street Quiet... Buffet Restaurants See Visits from Exam Candidates and Office Workers
In the Era of High Prices, Buffet Popular for Multiple Refills of Rice and Side Dishes

"Let's go to a buffet with the people we study with."

As the number of civil service exam candidates (Gongsisaeng) decreases, the cupbap street in Noryangjin, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, where many Gongsisaeng gather, appears quiet. On the other hand, nearby buffet restaurants are crowded with office workers and Gongsisaeng. On the 31st, Park Minjun (28), a Gongsisaeng met near a buffet restaurant, said, "First of all, there are various side dishes, and you can get refills." He added, "If the price difference with cupbap was significant, people would eat more cupbap, but that's not the case."

Novelist Kim Hoon, in his short story "Youngja" (2022), metaphorically described the tough youth of Gongsisaeng by pointing to the long lines of young people on the cupbap street. However, with the sharp decline in Gongsisaeng and soaring prices, civil service exam candidates in their 20s and 30s are shifting their footsteps to buffet restaurants. The dining scene in Noryangjin is changing.

On that day, the cupbap street visited by the reporter was mostly closed during lunchtime. Some shops had even gone out of business. A man in his 50s, who said he had been running a business on the cupbap street for over 10 years, said, "It was very difficult because of COVID-19, and some shops open late. Some students seem to be going to buffets." He added, "Prices keep rising, but can cupbap prices stay the same? The number of students preparing for civil service exams has also decreased a lot compared to the past."

The number of Gongsisaeng continues to decline. According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's Personnel Innovation Office, the number of applicants for the 2023 Grade 9 national civil service open competitive recruitment exam was 121,526, down by about 40,000 from last year. Compared to 228,368 applicants in 2017, it has plummeted by 46.8% over six years. The situation is similar for Grade 7 national civil servants. The number of applicants decreased by 30.8%, from 48,361 in 2017 to 33,455 last year.

Even among those who passed the exam, the number of voluntary resignations is increasing. According to data on retired civil servants from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the number of voluntary resignations, known as "resignations by request," rose by 33.8%, from 10,694 in 2018 to 14,312 in 2021. During the same period, local government civil servants increased sharply by 44%, from 3,610 to 5,202.

Especially, young civil servants who have been in office for less than three years nearly doubled their resignations, from 5,166 in 2018 to 9,881 in 2021. These MZ generation civil servants cited low salaries (72.4%), rigid organizational culture (40.8%), promotion bottlenecks (39.2%), and excessive workload (31.4%) as reasons for changing jobs in a survey by the Korea Institute of Public Administration (multiple responses allowed). A 20-something Gongsisaeng met near a civil service academy said, "The number of civil service recruitment spots has significantly decreased, so I feel a bit anxious." He added, "The salary is not very attractive, so many friends quit the exam and join companies."

A buffet restaurant located near the Noryangjin Cupbap Street in Dongjak-gu, Seoul. Photo by Han Seunggon

Another 20-something Gongsisaeng also said, "The reason for wanting to become a civil servant is because it's a 'stable job,' but compared to rising prices, salaries don't increase well, so many Gongsisaeng say it's 'not that great.'" He added, "Since prices of cupbap have risen, some shops raise their prices, but then people just go to regular restaurants or buffets." This explains why the cupbap street is quiet and buffet restaurants are crowded.

Buffet restaurants are concentrated near the cupbap street. It took the reporter just over 10 minutes to walk from the cupbap street to the buffet restaurants. There were three restaurants on this street alone. Most were on the second floor, indicating strong buffet demand. The main consumers are nearby Gongsisaeng and office workers. Prices range from 6,000 to 7,000 KRW. One buffet restaurant has recently expanded to three branches due to its popularity.

Kim Hyungmo (35), an office worker met near a restaurant, said, "The advantage of buffets is that you can get several refills of rice and side dishes, and you can eat until you're full." He added, "People who like this kind of thing probably visit buffets a lot." Gongsisaeng Lee said, "Those who want to eat cupbap can keep eating that, and those who want to eat more for 6,000 KRW can come here (to the buffet)."

The feelings of regular restaurants watching the cupbap street become quiet and buffet restaurants gain popularity are mixed. One restaurant owner said, "Prices of ingredients and other costs have risen a lot." He added, "Since there are many Gongsisaeng, this street is very sensitive to prices. We have no plans to convert the shop into a buffet, but for the time being, many customers will likely go to buffets."