Nearly 150,000 Won for a Bowl: As Temperatures Rise, Hotels Launch 'Apple Mango Bingsu Wars'

Mango Bingsu Priced Over 100,000 Won at Shilla, Lotte, and Four Seasons

Rising Ingredient Costs and Labor Expenses Drive Price Increases

Major luxury hotels in Korea have begun selling apple mango bingsu, a signature summer dessert. Prices this year range from 130,000 to 149,000 won, which is higher than last year.

According to the hotel industry on May 9, The Shilla Seoul started serving apple mango bingsu at its lounge bar 'The Library' from May 1. This year, the bingsu is priced at 130,000 won, up 20,000 won from last year's 110,000 won.

Signiel Seoul has set the price of its apple mango bingsu, available at 'The Lounge' on the 79th floor, at 135,000 won, an increase of 5,000 won compared to last year.

Lotte Hotel Seoul Apple Mango Bingsu. Lotte Hotel Seoul.

Lotte Hotel Seoul offers apple mango bingsu in two sizes: regular for two people and large for four people. The regular size costs 120,000 won, up 10,000 won from last year, while the large size is priced at 220,000 won.

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul has kept the price unchanged from last year at 149,000 won, but this remains the highest among major luxury hotels in Seoul. Josun Palace Seoul Gangnam has raised the price of its Jeju apple mango bingsu from 120,000 won last year to 130,000 won this year. The apple mango bingsu at Walkerhill Hotel is relatively affordable compared to other luxury hotels at 95,000 won, but this is still a 10,000 won increase from last year. In addition, hotels such as Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas and JW Marriott Dongdaemun have also raised their bingsu prices this year.

Some hotels are not selling apple mango bingsu at all. The Plaza, operated by Hanwha Hotels & Resorts, is undergoing partial renovations and a menu overhaul, and will not offer bingsu this summer.

Apple mango bingsu is considered a signature summer item at each hotel. Consumers can enjoy premium services at luxury hotels without the high costs typically associated with rooms or buffets. For hotels, photo sharing and reviews on social networking services (SNS) help attract customers through word of mouth. As a result, despite price increases, the dessert's popularity remains unchanged, with hotels selling out their prepared quantities every year thanks to loyal customers.

Apple Mango Bingsu at the Shilla Seoul Hotel. Shilla Seoul Hotel

The main reasons for the price hikes are the cost of ingredients and increased labor expenses. In particular, the rising price of premium fruits such as Jeju apple mango is cited as the largest factor in increasing production costs, along with higher labor and service costs reflected in the price.

An industry official stated, "Apple mango bingsu is a flagship product for hotels during the summer season, attracting numerous customer inquiries. This year, competition is intensifying not only in terms of price but also in mango quality, dessert composition, and overall experience, so we will strive to enhance customer satisfaction."

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