'16,000 Won for a Bowl of Naengmyeon'... Seoul Restaurants Raise Prices One After Another

Prices at Seoul's renowned naengmyeon restaurants have once again risen this year without fail. The cost of a meal for office workers has become somewhat burdensome.

One of the popular naengmyeon restaurants, Bongpiyang, including its main branch in Bangi-dong and its franchises, raised the price of Pyongyang naengmyeon and bibim naengmyeon by 1,000 won to 16,000 won as of the 20th of last month. Prices for other main menu items were also adjusted. This is the first price increase in a year since early last year, when prices were also raised by 1,000 won.

Citizens are waiting to enter a Pyongyang Naengmyeon specialty restaurant near Gongdeok Station in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

Fil-dong Myeonok, an old naengmyeon restaurant located in Chungmuro, Seoul, also raised its naengmyeon price from 13,000 won to 14,000 won earlier this year. Both Bongpiyang and Fil-dong Myeonok have increased prices for two consecutive years. Eulmildae's mul and bibim naengmyeon prices rose by 2,000 won last month after two years, now at 15,000 won.

Woolaeok and Pyongyang Myeonok have not raised prices this year but have steadily increased them over time, already selling naengmyeon around 15,000 won. Adding one or two simple side dishes easily pushes the total cost beyond 20,000 won.

Pyongyang Okryugwan Pyongyang Naengmyeon / Pyongyang Photo Joint Coverage Team

According to the dining cost trends compiled by the Korea Consumer Agency, the price of naengmyeon in Seoul was around 8,990 won in 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 outbreak. It rose 4.8% to 9,423 won the following year and exceeded 10,000 won for the first time last year at 10,289 won. As of February this year, it continues to rise steadily to 10,692 won.

The steady increase in naengmyeon prices is due to the rising cost of ingredients. The import price of buckwheat was about 727 dollars per ton (based on customs declaration) until 2019, but this year it has risen by more than 50% to 1,148 dollars. Domestic buckwheat has also become more expensive due to reduced production.

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