"The prices are low. I came here just for the prices."
On the 16th, in the Jongno 5-ga area of Jongno-gu, Seoul, known as a pharmacy hotspot, the street was bustling all day long, with people constantly coming and going from the pharmacies. Some people could be seen carrying bags full of boxes of supplements in both hands. On the pharmacy windows, there were posters advertising pharmaceuticals, such as "Wegovy in large stock." Inside the pharmacy, five or six pharmacists stood in front of their POS terminals, handing out medicine without pause.
The number of consumers visiting these pharmacy hotspots to purchase health supplements or emergency over-the-counter medicines at low prices is increasing.
Around noon that day, about 20 people were lined up in front of a pharmacy in Jung-gu, Seoul. As the queue blocked the entrance to a nearby store, a pharmacy staff member asked people to wait by splitting the line. Kim (46) said, "I heard on social media that the prices are cheap, so I came to buy some emergency over-the-counter medicine. Unlike my neighborhood pharmacy, there are lines here and I see many people buying in bulk."
The main reason citizens visit this area is the "price." Supplements, artificial tears, and over-the-counter medicines that can be purchased without a prescription are 30-40% cheaper than at neighborhood pharmacies. Son Sanghee (58), whom the reporter met in front of a pharmacy in Jongno 5-ga that day, said, "My mother is elderly, so I bought 40,000 won worth of vitamins. Since there are 600 pills, she should be able to finish them within a year." In fact, the reporter was able to purchase a bottle of artificial tears, which costs nearly 10,000 won at a neighborhood pharmacy, for 5,000 won here.
Park Seunga (46) also purchased two boxes of vitamins, some bandages, and melatonin cream. Park said, "My child is a student preparing for exams, and my husband has high cholesterol, so we care a lot about health. Since I can buy these at a low price, even if it's a bit of a hassle, it's worth it from a consumer's perspective. Especially for supplements, they seem to be about 40% cheaper than at neighborhood pharmacies."
People lined up at a pharmacy in Jung-gu, Seoul, known for its affordable prices. Photo by Lee Eunseo.
The strategy these pharmacy hotspots use to secure price competitiveness is a "small margin, high volume" business model. A representative from a pharmacy in the Jongno 5-ga area explained, "Because the pharmacy is large, we sell a lot at low prices, similar to a wholesale pharmacy." In fact, these pharmacies operate in a factory-like manner. Rather than filling prescriptions, staff quickly retrieve the medicines requested by customers from the shelves and ring them up at the register.
People are flocking not only to pharmacy hotspots but also to Korea's first warehouse-style pharmacy, which opened in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. Like a large supermarket, this warehouse store offers over-the-counter medicines, health supplements, and even pet medicines, allowing consumers to easily purchase the products they want.
However, there are also concerns about the misuse and abuse of pharmaceuticals. On June 23, the Korean Pharmaceutical Association issued a statement saying, "The 'warehouse-style' sales method, which is similar to the sale of industrial goods, denies the public and professional nature of pharmacies and undermines the professional ethics and identity of pharmacists. Excessive competition based solely on price can encourage misuse of medicines and erode public trust."
Shim Kyungwon, a professor of family medicine at Ewha Mokdong Hospital, said, "You should not choose supplements based just on price or cost-effectiveness. If you take too many supplements, they can be toxic to your liver or kidneys, and depending on your constitution and medical conditions, there are nutrients you should avoid or others that are recommended." She added, "Because the effectiveness of medicine can decrease as it approaches its expiration date, it is best to avoid indiscriminate purchasing or consumption."
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