"Each Petal with Care"... 100,000 Won Luxury Hotel Valentine's Day Cake

Cake Price Increase Amid Premiumization Competition
Chosun Palace 150,000 Won 'Flower Box'

This year, cakes at luxury hotels have easily surpassed 100,000 won with the 'Valentine's Day' label attached. Hotel officials say they introduced high-priced cakes due to rising raw material costs and competition for premiumization.

According to the industry on the 14th, Shilla Group's luxury hotel, Chosun Palace, unveiled five special cakes for Valentine's Day. Most of these cakes are priced over 100,000 won, with the most expensive 'Flower Box' costing 150,000 won. The hotel described this cake as "meticulously crafted by a patissier, with care given to each petal," adding that "the intricate decorations on the Flower Box boast a visual that looks like a piece of art."

Chosun Palace also offered the 'Surprise Saint-Honor?' and 'Ruby Rose' cakes at 120,000 won and 100,000 won respectively. Additionally, the 'Cour au Be' cake is sold for 98,000 won, and the most affordable 'Lovely Petit Pound Set' is priced at 38,000 won. Despite most of these cakes being priced over 100,000 won, it is reported that the two-week reservation quota has already been filled.

Seoul Shilla Hotel also introduced two special cakes to celebrate Valentine's Day. These are the 'Sweet Whispers,' a heart-shaped strawberry cake filled with chocolate cream and mascarpone cream, and the 'Mellifluous Love,' a fresh cream cake wrapped in rose-lychee cream. The prices are 130,000 won for Sweet Whispers and 100,000 won for Mellifluous Love. Seoul Shilla Hotel plans to sell these cakes until White Day on March 14.

At Lotte Hotel, Signiel Seoul released cakes in the 100,000 won range for Valentine's Day and White Day. The 'Love Letter Cake' features white peach mousse, blood peach jelly, and strawberry jelly, creating a refreshing taste, according to the hotel. A hotel official said, "There is steady demand for premium cakes on special occasions," adding, "We prepared this cake so guests can enjoy a memorable romantic moment on Valentine's Day."

This is not the first time the hotel industry has introduced cakes priced in the 100,000 won range. The industry has previously launched high-priced shaved ice and cakes exceeding 100,000 won during summer heatwaves and the Christmas season. With Valentine's Day added, the era of 100,000 won desserts has truly arrived.

Hotel officials unanimously say that dessert prices, including cakes, have risen due to soaring raw material costs and intensified premiumization competition. However, some argue that the current prices are excessive amid high inflation. Professor Heo Kyung-ok of the Department of Consumer Life and Culture Industry at Sungshin Women's University said, "If consumers participate in consumption despite price increases, there is no rule that 300,000 won shaved ice won't appear in the future," adding, "To curb excessive price hikes, individual restraint by not buying and not eating is also necessary."

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