Chuseok Ancestral Ritual Table, Traditional Markets 73,000 Won Cheaper Than Large Supermarkets

The Small Enterprise and Market Service announced on the 6th the results of a price comparison survey conducted over five days from August 26 to August 30 on 27 Chuseok ritual food items at 37 traditional markets and 37 nearby large supermarkets.

The cost of preparing a Chuseok ancestral table for four people this year averaged 298,313 KRW at traditional markets and 371,097 KRW at large supermarkets, showing that traditional markets are approximately 72,784 KRW (19.6%) cheaper than large supermarkets.

On the 5th, ahead of the major national holiday Chuseok, apple gift sets are being sold at Hanaro Mart Yangjae Branch in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jin-Hyung Kang aymsdream@

By item category, traditional markets showed price advantages over large supermarkets in vegetables (51.2%), seafood (36.4%), and meat (21.1%), in that order. Among all 27 surveyed items, traditional markets were cheaper than large supermarkets in 22 items.

In particular, items where traditional markets had a price advantage included peeled balloon flower roots (67.1%), bracken (66.9%), frozen pollack fillets (47.2%), spinach (45.0%), jujubes (43.4%), and mung bean sprouts (37.1%), in that order.

Park Seong-hyo, Director of the Small Enterprise and Market Service, stated, “When using mobile and card-type Onnuri gift certificates, it is possible to prepare the ancestral table at up to a 10% discount (with a limit of 2 million KRW per person). We hope everyone prepares their Chuseok ancestral table economically at traditional markets and enjoys a bountiful Hangawi.”