"Auntie, When Will Dried Shredded Squid Return as a Side Dish?"...Once Vanished from Restaurants, Now Making a Comeback

Dried Shredded Squid Consumer Price Index at 139.1 in August
Down from Last June's Peak of 157.2
Recovery in South American Squid Production after 'Abnormal Climate' Effects

# '6 packs for 10,000 won in cash, 5 packs for card'. These days, Mr. A, who runs a side dish store in a traditional market in Gangbuk-gu, Seoul, pays special attention when packing side dishes—especially when it comes to shredded dried squid (jinmichae). He now puts a bit more into each container than usual. In early 2025, the price of dried squid, the main ingredient, surged significantly, prompting Mr. A to remove it from the so-called 'pack side dishes' sold together as a set. Since then, he has been selling the dried squid separately at 5,000 won per container. "The price rose so much that I just couldn't sell it as a pack side dish anymore," he said, "but now that the price has dropped slightly, I'm adding a little extra, taking into account feedback from customers who have missed it."

The 'national side dish' dried squid, which had all but disappeared from Korean dining tables, appears poised to make a comeback. Last year, the price of imported squid, its main ingredient, soared, causing restaurants to stop serving it as a cost-cutting measure. Now, however, the possibility of it returning to everyday meals is increasing, thanks to a rebound in the supply of imported squid.

A side dish store in Seoul is displaying and selling dried shredded squid. Photo by Hyunjin Jung

According to the Ministry of Data and Statistics on September 27, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for dried shredded squid was 139.1 last month. The CPI for dried squid remained in the 100s range until as recently as August 2024, but then climbed rapidly, reaching 157.2 by June 2025. This means that the price of dried squid has soared by as much as 60% compared to 2020. Though the price has dropped back to the 130 range for the first time in 16 months since February 2025, it is still higher than in 2024.

Dried shredded squid is such a staple side dish in Korea that the Ministry of Data and Statistics includes it in the official Consumer Price Index. The dried squid sold as a raw ingredient in Korea is typically made from Humboldt squid sourced from South America, especially Peru and Chile. Compared to East Sea squid, it is more abundant and therefore cheaper, with a thicker, chewier texture—making it ideal both for shredded squid and for dishes like butter-grilled squid.

The spike in dried squid prices last year was due to a dramatic drop in Humboldt squid production in Peru in 2024. According to Peru's Ministry of Production, Humboldt squid output in 2024 was 188,000 tons—a decrease of 70% compared to the 621,000 tons seen in 2023. This sharp decline was caused by the La Niña phenomenon, which lowered seawater temperatures along the Peruvian coast by about 2 degrees Celsius below average, causing catch volumes to plummet. The resulting spike in raw squid costs then led to a chain reaction that suddenly pushed up prices for dried shredded squid as well.

Recently, however, the situation has changed. Last year, Peru's Humboldt squid production recovered to 697,000 tons. This year, output is expected to remain at similar levels, with the Peruvian government setting the catch quota at over 700,000 tons. Because it takes several months for squid caught locally to be frozen, shipped, and imported into Korea, the recovery has been gradually impacting domestic production costs for dried shredded squid since the second half of last year.

The price change has also been dramatic for shredded squid sold in traditional markets. According to Korea Price Information, the price of dried shredded squid per kilogram in markets soared from 22,000 won during the second week of March last year to 38,000 won just a week later—a spike of 73%. Though this price level persisted for two months before slowly falling, it stayed in the 30,000 won range up until July of that year. By the second week of July last year, the price had dropped to 28,000 won and remained at that level until mid-June this year, but has recently come down to 20,000 won.

The price at large supermarkets has also fallen by about 20% in the first half of this year. At one major supermarket, a 600-gram package of dried shredded squid, which used to retail for 25,000–29,000 won last year, is now selling for 20,000–25,000 won. "Typically, frozen squid is imported and thawed in Korea, then processed into jinmichae in local production facilities," said an industry insider at a large supermarket. "With the recovery in squid catches this year, on-site prices have stabilized, and that has directly influenced retail prices here as well," the insider explained.

Fluctuations in ingredient prices inevitably impact the price of restaurant side dishes and those sold at side dish stores. Last year, more and more restaurants nationwide took dried shredded squid off their complimentary side dish menus, and side dish stores raised prices as well. Ms. B, who runs a snack shop in Seoul, said, "Prices are still a bit too high for me to serve shredded squid as a regular side, so it's hard to put it back on the menu just yet. If prices drop a little further, I might reconsider."

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