The Shocking Price Controversy of a Cafe in Cheongdam-dong

A cafe in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, is stirring a heated discussion online regarding the prices of its menu items.

On the 7th, a video titled "Is a can of cola 10,000 won in Cheongdam-dong?" was released across various online communities.

The video features a YouTuber named 'Dojingjing' who has about 156,000 subscribers, showcasing their visit to a tteokbokki specialty cafe in Cheongdam-dong in March, which has recently resurfaced and sparked controversy.

The YouTuber stated their intent to "try out the most expensive tteokbokki in our country" and emphasized the cafe's luxurious atmosphere, mentioning that "it's a tteokbokki place but offers valet parking. Need I say more?"

The menu at this cafe displayed price ranges distinctly different from those of typical snack bars. Tteokbokki with chicken was priced at 45,000 won, while King Kimbap Tteokbokki was 42,000 won, and Cheesy Mussel Tteokbokki was 40,000 won. Despite being popular snack items, they maintained a high pricing policy in the 40,000 won range.

The drink prices were equally shocking. An Americano was sold for 13,000 won, and if ordered iced, it cost an additional 2,000 won, bringing the total to 15,000 won. The price of a can of cola was 10,000 won.

The YouTuber remarked, "With that price, I could have three drinks at Starbucks," and expressed disbelief by stating, "Just ordering an iced Americano and a can of cola costs 25,000 won."

Regarding the anticipated 45,000 won tteokbokki, the YouTuber commented, "This is not tteokbokki; it’s dak-galbi. They just added tteok to the dak-galbi sauce we know."

He added, "Is it delicious enough to justify the price? Honestly, no. It tastes like regular dak-galbi you can easily find on the street," expressing his disappointment.

While the YouTuber acknowledged the high real estate prices in Cheongdam-dong, he questioned the value for the price, saying, "If it's 45,000 won, there should be more chicken, but there was less chicken and more tteok. Tteok is cheaper as an ingredient." He further stated, "Cola must be extremely cheap for commercial use, and they will likely have a lot left over. I don't feel at all that it's worth the high price."

Ultimately, he paid a total of 70,000 won for the tteokbokki, coffee, and cola, honestly stating, "Unless it's a special day where I have to enjoy tteokbokki with high-class service from the staff, I don't think I'll be returning."

Most of the netizens who watched the video reacted critically, saying, "No matter how much it is in Gangnam Cheongdam-dong, 10,000 won for a can of cola is crossing the line," and "With the money for Cheongdam-dong tteokbokki, I could have four bowls of gukbap and added five servings of rice."

In contrast, some netizens commented, "If it's expensive, then don't go," "There are customers, so the store exists," and "Considering the rent in Cheongdam-dong, it can't be helped."

Image source: youtube 'Dojingjing'