Half Fat Pork Belly at Restaurant, Broken Air Conditioner at Lodging... "Ulleungdo Is Too Much"

Controversy Reignites Through a YouTuber's Travel Video
"If You Expect Standard Tourist Services, You May Be Disappointed"

The controversy over "overpriced services" on Ulleungdo Island has reignited. The catalyst was a travel video about Ulleungdo uploaded by a YouTuber.

On July 19, the YouTuber posted a video titled "It’s my first time visiting Ulleungdo, and I’m quite shocked" on their channel.

In the video, the YouTuber visited a barbecue restaurant on Ulleungdo and ordered one serving (120g) of pork belly for 15,000 won, pointing out that nearly half of it was fat. When the YouTuber asked, "Is this the correct portion size?" a restaurant staff member explained, "We don’t cut it into neat pieces like on the mainland; we slice it roughly." The YouTuber commented, "Anyone visiting for the first time would naturally be taken aback."

A YouTuber sparked controversy by revealing poor food and accommodation services experienced on Ulleungdo Island. Screenshot from YouTube channel

At another restaurant, the YouTuber paid 20,000 won for a single bowl of barnacle porridge. Comparing it to abalone porridge on Jeju Island, which costs 13,000 won, the YouTuber remarked, "The taste is fine, but the price feels excessive," expressing doubt.

Furthermore, at the accommodation, the YouTuber had to spend a hot night in a room with a broken air conditioner from the day of arrival, and said the manager remained indifferent and did not apologize. The YouTuber criticized, "I’ve stayed at many accommodations while traveling, but an unusually early 10:30 a.m. checkout time, a refrigerator that barely cools, and a nightly rate of 90,000 won are all hard to accept."

The YouTuber advised, "The natural scenery is beautiful, and it can be a great place for those wanting to experience island life, but anyone expecting standard tourist services or reasonable prices may be disappointed."

However, the YouTuber cautiously added, "It may sound like I’m criticizing all of Ulleungdo, but I’m only speaking about the specific experiences I had."

A YouTuber sparked controversy by revealing the poor food and accommodation services experienced on Ulleungdo Island. Screenshot from YouTube channel

The video surpassed 1 million views within a single day of being uploaded, and netizens are flooding the comments with criticism of the food and accommodation services on Ulleungdo featured in the video.

Controversy over overpriced services on Ulleungdo has surfaced before. As a result, the Ulleung County government has actively managed local prices, and last year it was selected as an outstanding local government in the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s "Local Price Stabilization Management Assessment." However, such controversies continue to arise from time to time.

In March of this year, another YouTuber complained that a 12,000-won set meal had "an extremely poor selection of side dishes," to which the restaurant owner responded, "This is Ulleungdo, it’s different from the mainland." Last year, the price of a 70,000-won set meal also became a topic of public debate.