'Seomin Eumsik' Kalguksu Now 10,000 Won Era... 'Myeongdong Gyoja' All Menu Items Up 1,000 Won (Comprehensive)

Rising Raw Material and Labor Costs... Food Service Prices Increase Across the Board

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[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Hyewon] Office worker Lee Hyunwoo (alias, 30 years old) visited Myeongdong Gyoja, a famous restaurant in Myeongdong, with his tired parents on the last day of the Lunar New Year holiday, February 2, to dine out after preparing the ancestral rites table. He was shocked when he saw the price list. The Kalguksu (hand-cut noodle soup), which used to cost 9,000 won per bowl just last week, had risen to 10,000 won. Lee said, “I thought Kalguksu was an affordable dish, but it seems that is no longer the case,” adding, “It will be difficult to come here as often as before,” expressing his bitterness.

From the beginning of the new year, the prices of dining out have been rising continuously, and even Kalguksu, loved as a commoner's food, has surpassed 10,000 won per bowl.

According to the industry on the 3rd, Myeongdong Gyoja raised the prices of all menu items, including Kalguksu, Bibim-guksu (spicy mixed noodles), and dumplings, by 1,000 won on the 1st. This is the first price increase in three years since the last 1,000 won hike in February 2019.

Kalguksu and Bibim-guksu prices increased from 9,000 won to 10,000 won, while dumplings and Kong-guksu (soybean noodle soup) rose from 10,000 won to 11,000 won.

Myeongdong Gyoja explained that this measure was due to rising costs of raw materials, labor, and other expenses.

Opened in 1966, Myeongdong Gyoja is a Kalguksu specialty restaurant that has been selected for six consecutive years since 2017 in the Michelin Guide’s ‘Bib Gourmand’ category (excellent food at reasonable prices). It currently operates three stores: the Myeongdong main branch, the 1st branch, and the Itaewon branch. Before COVID-19, it was a popular spot frequently visited by foreigners, with tourists lining up outside the store to taste the original ‘Myeongdong Kalguksu.’ However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, sales once dropped to one-third of the usual level, leading to an unprecedented suspension of operations.

Meanwhile, the comprehensive rise in dining-out prices continues. According to the Korea Consumer Agency, prices of seven representative dining-out items in Seoul (naengmyeon, jajangmyeon, kimchi jjigae set meal, bibimbap, kalguksu, gimbap, and samgyeopsal) all increased compared to a year ago as of December last year.

Naengmyeon, which was 9,000 won in January last year, rose 8.1% to 9,731 won in December. During the same period, jajangmyeon increased 6.4% from 5,346 won to 5,692 won, and kimchi jjigae set meal rose 4.6% from 6,769 won to 7,077 won. Bibimbap (4.4%), kalguksu (4.2%), gimbap (2.9%), and samgyeopsal (1.9%) also saw price increases.

The industry expects the pace of dining-out cost increases to accelerate further due to rising international grain prices and increases in the prices of fermented sauces. An industry official said, “With the overall rise in food prices continuing, there is a significant concern that the dining-out cost burden on ordinary people will increase.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.