"This Is Really Too Much... Is This Really Worth 10,000 Won?" Another Overcharging Controversy Erupts

Controversy Over Dakgangjeong Prices at Jinju Lantern Festival
"Cold and Soggy?Impossible to Tell When It Was Fried"

Controversy over 'Overcharging' Arises as Food Sold at Jinju Lantern Festival Is Revealed. The photo shows the food in question. Thread

There is ongoing controversy online over the price of a 10,000 won Dakgangjeong (sweet crispy fried chicken) set sold at the Jinju Lantern Festival, with many accusing vendors of overcharging.

On October 14, a photo of the Dakgangjeong set sold at the Jinju Lantern Festival quickly spread on the social media platform Thread. The poster, identified as Mr. A, revealed the photo, saying, "I paid 10,000 won for Dakgangjeong, but I was shocked when I received it."

The photo showed a small container holding a few pieces of dried-out, unglazed Dakgangjeong and six or seven broken French fries. Mr. A expressed frustration, saying, "It was cold and soggy, as if no one knows when it was fried," and added, "There were even shrimp crackers at the bottom."

"This Is Too Much" vs. "High Rental Fees"

Netizens who saw the photo responded critically, saying, "This is really too much," "This is blatant overcharging," "This is why I don't travel domestically," "I'd be angry even if it was 6,000 won," "I spent money, but I'm upset and still hungry," "Why did they even add shrimp crackers?" "It seems like the price was inflated tenfold from the cost," "They're making easy money," and "Only other hardworking vendors are being harmed."

Some argued, "The booth rental fee at the Lantern Festival is as high as 20 million won, so there is no other choice." However, it has been reported that only eight food trucks operate at the festival, with the total rental fee amounting to about 16 million won. This means the rental fee per truck is about 2 million won, and considering the festival runs for 16 days, the daily fee is only about 125,000 won. Therefore, the pricing seems to reflect a "festival premium" rather than being driven by rental costs.

Ongoing 'Overcharging Controversies'..."Concerns Over Damaged Trust in Domestic Tourism"

A YouTuber received "fatty pork belly" at a meat restaurant in Ulleungdo. YouTube channel "Kkuiun"

Recently, controversies over overcharging have continued to erupt across the country. Previously, Ulleungdo was at the center of controversy for serving fatty pork belly. A YouTuber revealed that at a meat restaurant on Ulleungdo, they paid 15,000 won for a 120g serving, but more than half of it was fat, which sparked public outrage. At a famous sashimi restaurant near Jagalchi Market in Busan, it was revealed that a plate of sea cucumber was sold for 70,000 won. A customer had ordered sea cucumber, which was marked as "market price" on the menu, but during payment, the owner charged 70,000 won for just two or three sea cucumbers, drawing widespread criticism online.

Experts warn that the continued controversies over overcharging at tourist destinations could undermine trust in domestic tourism as a whole. They point out, "For tourists, a single trip can shape the entire image of a city," and "The focus on short-term profits by some vendors is threatening the overall local tourism industry." Experts advise that the government and local authorities need to take structural measures, such as strengthening enforcement, expanding voluntary reporting systems, and launching consumer protection campaigns.