Samgyetang Costs 17,000 Won at Restaurants, 9,000 Won to Make at Home... Up 25% in 5 Years

Prices of Four Out of Seven Key Ingredients Rise
Korea Price Information Surveys Ingredient Costs at Traditional Markets

Samgyetang is being served to customers at a restaurant in downtown Seoul. Photo by Jo Yongjun

With Chobok, the first of the three hottest days of summer, approaching on July 20, a survey found that the cost of buying ingredients at a traditional market and making Samgyetang at home has risen by 35% over the past five years, reaching 9,000 won per serving.

On July 17, Korea Price Information, a professional price research agency, announced that the cost of ingredients for Samgyetang?including young chicken, ginseng, glutinous rice, garlic, chestnuts, green onions, and medicinal herbs for broth?has increased in this way. Korea Price Information surveys the market prices of Samgyetang ingredients every year before Chobok.

The total cost to prepare four servings of Samgyetang?using four young chickens, four roots of ginseng, and four cups of glutinous rice?at a traditional market was calculated at 36,260 won. This amounts to 9,065 won per serving. This is an increase of 34.9% compared to five years ago (26,870 won) and 12.4% compared to last year (32,260 won).

Among the seven key ingredients for Samgyetang, the prices of four items?young chicken, glutinous rice, garlic, and green onion?have risen significantly compared to last year. The price for four young chickens (about 2kg, size 5-6) at a traditional market increased by 12.5% (2,000 won), from 16,000 won last year to 18,000 won this year.

The price of four cups (800g) of glutinous rice rose by 59.3% (1,600 won), from 2,700 won to 4,300 won. Twenty cloves (50g) of garlic increased by 20.0% (100 won), from 500 won to 600 won. Green onion (300g) also rose by 20.0% (300 won), from 1,500 won to 1,800 won.

Meanwhile, the prices of ginseng (four roots) at 5,000 won, chestnuts (four pieces) at 560 won, and medicinal herbs for broth at 6,000 won remained the same as last year.

According to Korea Price Information, the price of young chicken, a core ingredient in Samgyetang, has risen due to mass deaths caused by heat waves and increased demand during Boknal. The price of glutinous rice is on the rise due to decreased production resulting from reduced cultivation area. The prices of garlic and green onion have also increased due to poor growth caused by recent adverse weather conditions.

However, the average price of a bowl of Samgyetang at a restaurant in Seoul is 17,000 won per serving, nearly double the cost of cooking it at home.

Lee Donghun, head of the planning and research team at Korea Price Information, said, "The prices of most main ingredients for Samgyetang have risen compared to last year, increasing the financial burden on households somewhat." He added, "Nevertheless, compared to dining out, cooking at home using discount policies at large supermarkets can be a more economical choice."