Prices of Korean popular food items trend higher

[Photo by Yonhap]

The cost for popular food served away from home in South Korea maintained its upward trajectory last month, posing challenges for consumers who enjoy the convenience and experience of dining out.

According to data released by the Korea Consumer Agency on Wednesday, the prices of the eight representative menus for dining out in Seoul saw an average increase of up to 13 percent.

Among the menus, Samgyetang, a traditional Korean chicken soup made with a whole chicken, ginseng, and other flavorful herbs, reported the most significant rise in price compared to other dishes. The price of a comforting bowl of Samgyetang surged by 12.7 percent on year, reaching 16,346 won ($12.19) in April.

Similarly, the price of another beloved Korean dish, jajangmyeon, which features Korean-style noodles with soybean sauce, also saw a notable climb of 12.5 percent, amounting to 6,915 won per dish. Additionally, naengmyeon, the refreshing cold buckwheat noodles enjoyed particularly during the summer season, rose by 7.2 percent to 10,923 won.

Even other popular menus like samgyeopsal, thinly sliced pork belly, experienced an increase in price.

The data reveals that the number of menus offered at a price below 10,000 won in April decreased to four, compared to the previous month’s count of five, including dishes like bibimbap, a flavorful combination of rice mixed with vegetables and meat.

This ongoing surge in dining-out prices marks the 29th consecutive month of price increases since December 2020, with the dining-out index reaching 117.15 in April. This figure represents a 0.7 percent rise compared to the previous month.