"Who Says It's a Meal for Ordinary People? It Deserves 'Special Dish' Status Now"... The Era of 12,000-Won Bibimbap

Seoul's Average Bibimbap Price Tops 12,000 Won for the First Time
Prices Rise for All Eight Major Dining-Out Items Nationwide

The average price of a bowl of bibimbap in Seoul has topped 12,000 won for the first time. With prices of popular dining-out staples rising one after another, including a roll of kimbap nearing 4,000 won, consumers are facing a growing burden for a single meal.

Bibimbap. Photo for illustrative purposes only and not related to the specific content of the article. Getty Images

According to Cham Price, the Korea Consumer Agency’s comprehensive price information portal, the average price of a bowl of bibimbap in Seoul was 12,000 won in September. That was 77 won higher than the previous month’s 11,923 won, marking the first time the average price of bibimbap in Seoul has reached 12,000 won. Compared with 11,577 won in the same month last year, it rose by 423 won, or 3.7%.

Bibimbap is considered a dish affected by price changes in agricultural and livestock products, as it contains a variety of ingredients, including rice, eggs, meat and vegetables. In September, rice prices rose 2.3% year over year, while mushrooms rose 12.5%, domestic beef 6.6% and eggs 1.1%.

Kimbap Nears 4,000 Won...Jajangmyeon and Kimchi Stew Also Rise

Prices of other popular dining-out dishes continued to climb as well. The average price of a roll of kimbap in Seoul was 3,923 won last month, up 300 won (8.3%) from 3,623 won in the same month last year. It is now just 77 won short of 4,000 won. A bowl of jajangmyeon rose by 77 won, from 7,731 won in August to 7,808 won in September, while a set meal of kimchi stew also increased from 8,769 won to 8,846 won over the same period, nearing 9,000 won.

As prices in Seoul continue to rise, dining-out menu prices for popular dishes such as Kimbap, Bibimbap and Kalguksu also increased last month. The photo shows Kimbap on display at a cafe in downtown Seoul. Photo by Cho Yongjun, The Asia Business Daily.

The picture is similar nationwide. According to Cham Price’s survey of prices in 16 cities and provinces, all eight dining-out items surveyed cost more than in the same month last year. The nationwide average price of kimbap rose the most, climbing 5.1% from 3,340 won to 3,511 won.

A set meal of kimchi stew rose 4.0%, from 8,741 won to 9,092 won, while kalguksu increased 3.1%, from 8,798 won to 9,071 won. Both dishes, which were still in the 8,000-won range last year, have now entered the 9,000-won range. The nationwide average price of jajangmyeon also rose 3.4%, from 6,994 won to 7,233 won.

Prices also rose for dishes that had already topped 10,000 won. Naengmyeon increased 3.4%, from 10,492 won to 10,853 won, while bibimbap rose 2.4%, from 10,086 won to 10,330 won. Samgyetang reached 16,875 won, and samgyeopsal rose to 17,906 won for a 200-gram serving.

Price Increases Extend Beyond Dining Out to Processed Foods

Rising food prices are not limited to dining out. According to the September Consumer Price Trends released by the Ministry of Data and Statistics, the consumer price index rose 2.9% year over year last month. Prices for dining out rose 2.5%, while processed food prices increased 2.1%. In particular, the rate of increase in processed food prices accelerated from 1.5% in August to 2.1% in September.

An analysis by the Korea Consumer Agency of the selling prices of 26 frequently purchased processed food items in August found that 24 items (92.3%) had become more expensive than a year earlier. By item, cup meals rose 24.9% year over year, cola increased 16.8%, noodles 16.1%, and frozen dumplings and ready-to-eat rice each rose 13.0%.

Graphic showing the increase in prices in September this year compared with September last year. Reporter Shin Eunseo.

Rising raw material costs and a range of operating expenses are jointly contributing to the increase in dining-out prices. Domino's Pizza raised its pizza prices by an average of 4.4% starting October 12, adding 1,500 won to large pizzas and 1,000 won to medium pizzas.

The company said the increase, its first in five years since 2022, was unavoidable because “growing domestic and international uncertainty has led to a buildup of cost pressures across the board, including for raw and other materials.” It said it had absorbed rising costs at the head office level, but raised prices as the burden grew for both the head office and franchisees.

Baskin-Robbins also raised prices by an average of 5.9% on October 12 for 46 items, including ice cream and beverages. The price of its signature Single Regular cone jumped 400 won (10.3%), from 3,900 won to 4,300 won. This was the first price increase in three years and two months, since August 2023. A Baskin-Robbins representative said, “We had no choice but to adjust prices due to rising costs for raw materials and other expenses.”

The government has pointed to similar causes. In September, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs cited mounting production costs, driven by increases in raw materials, packaging materials, fuel costs and the exchange rate following the outbreak of the Middle East war, as factors behind rising food and dining-out prices. At the time, food prices and dining-out prices were up 2.1% and 2.5% year over year, respectively.

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