렛미톡광장

Korea Hit By ‘Noodle-flation’
작성자  : 관리자
The price of goods has skyrocketed during the past year. The shocking increase has even affected foods that were considered inexpensive in the past.

One of the hardest hit food items in recent months has been noodle dishes. In Seoul, the average price of a bowl of the Korean-Chinese noodle dish, jjajangmyeon, rose to 6,800 won in April 2023. This is an increase of 16.3 percent from a year ago.

Meanwhile, recent changes in the price of naengmyeon have also flabbergasted consumers. People in Seoul will have to pay over 10,000 won for the cold noodle dish that is a favorite during hot weather.

Prices for other popular noodle dishes like kalguksu have also spiked compared to the previous year.

The surging prices have led to people coining a new word: “noodle-flation.” This is a play on the word “inflation,” an economic term for the rate of increase in prices over a given time.

Economists say that the higher cost of ingredients for noodles has led to the “noodle-flation” situation. Restaurant owners also point to the rise in the wage of their workers as another reason.

However, consumers complain that the situation has gotten out of hand. They also suspect that they are being unfairly burdened with the negative effects of the recent inflation.

Unfortunately, the exorbitant price of food items is not only seen in noodle dishes. The term “chicken-flation” became widely used by the public and the media in late 2022, when the price of fried chicken reached over 20,000 won. This year, some restaurants may charge as much as 30,000 won.