"Price Gouging Controversy" – Boneless Chicken Feet Sold for 25,000 Won in Jeju

Jeju, which faced a "price gouging controversy" for selling six pieces of sundae at 25,000 won, is now embroiled in another issue involving boneless chicken feet.

On the 5th, a post titled "The Reality of a Jeju Pocha" appeared on the automotive online community 'Bobae Dream.'

On that day at 11:20 PM, the author, Mr. A, visited a pocha (a type of casual pub) in Gunip-dong, Jeju City. He began his account by stating that the establishment was advertised to be open until 1 AM, so he inquired about the available menu and ordered "boneless chicken feet."

When the chicken feet arrived, Mr. A was surprised by the meager portion and said, "When I asked how much it was, they told me it was 25,000 won, so I went to the kitchen with the food and asked several times if this was really 25,000 won."

In the photo disclosed by Mr. A, the large plate of chicken feet appears to have a very small amount in comparison to the price of 25,000 won.

Mr. A explained, "While I was sitting there, the owner came over and said they were trying to lower the price but couldn’t update the menu, and then told me to eat for free. I said I would pay, but asked them to make me five fried eggs instead."

He continued, "I looked for blog reviews and found that they charged 20,000 won for boneless chicken feet on April 11, but now they've raised it to 25,000 won. So the claim that they were trying to lower the price was also a lie," he lamented.

He expressed his frustration by saying, "I came to Jeju today and I’m so angry, I'm posting this. I feel completely ripped off."

In response, netizens commented, "Are they charging 2,500 won for each piece? Where is their conscience?", "No wonder people would rather travel to Southeast Asia with their money for Jeju," "This is much worse than a small-sized jokbal," "It's because of ignorant people like them that conscientious business owners are suffering," among other reactions.

Meanwhile, according to the travel industry, the number of tourists visiting Jeju from January to February this year decreased by 10.5% compared to the same period last year, and the number of domestic tourists visiting Jeju has been declining each year, recording 13,803,058 in 2022, 12,661,179 in 2023, and 11,861,654 in 2024.

Image source: Bobae Dream