Prices of naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles) and samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup), two iconic Korean summer dining staples, have risen nationwide ahead of the peak summer season. In Seoul, naengmyeon prices have surpassed 12,000 won and samgyetang topped 18,000 won, adding to mounting pressure on dining-out costs.
According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's personal services (dining-out) price data released on the 25th, the average price of naengmyeon in Seoul rose 2.28 percent to 12,615 won as of April this year, from 12,269 won in May last year.
Seoul recorded the highest naengmyeon prices, followed by Daegu and Incheon at 11,750 won. Busan (11,714 won) and Daejeon (11,200 won) also exceeded 11,000 won. Gyeonggi (10,862 won), South Gyeongsang (10,808 won), Gwangju (10,600 won), North Jeolla (10,500 won), Gangwon (10,444 won), Ulsan (10,400 won), South Chungcheong (10,300 won) and North Gyeongsang (10,231 won) followed. Only three regions remained below 10,000 won: Jeju (9,750 won), North Chungcheong (9,714 won) and South Jeolla (9,556 won).
Over the past year, Daegu posted the steepest increase at 7.63 percent. North Chungcheong and Jeju recorded increases in the 5.4 percent range, while Ulsan, Busan, Incheon, Daejeon and North Jeolla rose in the 3 percent range. Gwangju and North Gyeongsang, like Seoul, posted increases in the 2 percent range, while South Chungcheong and South Jeolla saw rises of just over 1 percent.
The price of samgyetang, a representative summer health dish in Korea, has also climbed. As of April, samgyetang in Seoul averaged 18,154 won, up 2.8 percent from 17,654 won in May last year. Seoul was the only region in the country where samgyetang prices exceeded 18,000 won.
North Jeolla followed Seoul at 17,400 won, with Gyeonggi (17,310 won), Gwangju (17,200 won), Busan (17,143 won), and Daegu and South Gyeongsang (17,000 won) rounding out the top tier. Incheon (16,667 won), Daejeon (16,600 won), South Jeolla (16,444 won), Gangwon (16,333 won), Jeju (16,250 won), and North Gyeongsang and South Chungcheong (16,000 won) all fell in the 16,000 won range. North Chungcheong (15,714 won) and Ulsan (15,600 won) were the cheapest, in the 15,000 won range. Over the past year, North Chungcheong saw the steepest hike at around 5.7 percent, followed by Daejeon in the 5 percent range.
"The price increases stem from rising raw material costs as well as growing burdens from labor and delivery fees," an industry official said. "With demand increasing ahead of the peak summer season, consumers' perceived burden of dining-out prices could grow even larger."
