Korea National Council of Consumer Organizations

KNCCO surveyed and announced the prices of dining out expenses and haircuts and beauty care service prices

The Korean National Council of Consumer Organizations (KNCCO) (President Kim Jae-ok) released the price survey results of dining out expenses and haircuts and beauty care services in major commercial districts nationwide, so that consumers can cope with high prices through their rational choices of haircuts and beauty care services.

This survey was carried out by 200 surveyors of 10 member organizations of the KNCCO (Consumers Korea, The Green Consumer Network, The Korea Federation of Housewives Clubs, The National Council of Homemakers' Classes, The Korea Housewives Association HQ, The Korea Consumer Affairs Institute, The Korea Consumers Education Institute, The Consumers Union of Korea, The Korea National YMCA Federation, and The National YWCA of Korea) targeting 8 items, Seolleongtang, Kimchi stew, Jajang noodles, cold noodles, Kalguksu (knife-cut noodles), and Samgyeopsal. All of which are sold by a total of 2,569 business establishments (1,930 restaurants and 639 barbershops and beauty salons) in 40 major commercial districts in 21 cities nationwide.

Dining out expenses in Jongro-gu in Seoul are the most expensive, while those in Suyeong-gu in Busan are the cheapest

As a result of the price survey, the dining out expenses in the commercial district of Jongro-gu were the highest nationwide: Kimchi stew (KRW 6,668 on average) Kalguksu (KRW 6,625 on average) and Samgyeopsal (KRW 13,191 on average). Following Jongro-gu, the dining out expenses in Seoul Myeong-dong, Gyeonggi-do Goyang city, and Seoul Yeongdeungpo were the most expensive in that exact order. Meanwhile, those in Busan Jin-gu, Busan Buk-gu, Gyeongnam Changwon, and Busan Dongrae-gu were the lowest in that exact order.

By item, Seolleongtang was the most expensive in Jeonnam Mokpo (KRW 10,125 on average), Jajang noodles in Busan Haewoondae-gu (KRW 6,248 on average), cold noodles in Seoul Yeongdeungpo-gu (KRW 6,928 on average) and Kalguksu in Gyeonggi-do Goyang (KRW 6,625 on average). Samgyeopsal's price was two times more expensive in Seoul Jongro (KRW 13,191 on average), where the dining out expenses are the most expensive in Korea, than Busan Jin-gu (KRW 5,175 on average), where the dining-out expenses are the lowest in Korea.

The prices of haircuts and beauty care services have a three times gap between regions

Meanwhile, concerning haircuts and beauty care service expenses, the men's hair cut (KRW 18,444 on average) and women's hairdressing prices (KRW 20,700 on average) were the highest in Seoul Myeong. However, the prices of various dyes and perms were the highest in Seoul Shincheon, and thus, the haircut and beauty care service prices were the most expensive in Seoul Shincheon. Besides Seoul Shincheon and Myeong-dong, those prices were also expensive in Gyeonggi-do Goyang, Seoul Shinchon, and Seoul Gangnam in that exact order.

The haircuts and beauty care service prices in Busan Suyeong-gu and Dongrae-gu and Daejeon Eunhang-dong were the lowest nationwide, and those prices in those areas were three times lower than those of Seoul Shincheon and Myeong-dong. Consequently, the haircut and beauty care serve prices deviation was relatively huge, depending on the region.

The business establishments that offer the lowest prices nationwide among the surveyed areas

The business establishments offering the lowest prices nationwide in this survey (excluding the cases of selling or offering under special conditions or in an emergency) are as follows: ▸Seolleongtang (KRW 3,500) – Guk Jjigaeya in Sadang Seoul ▸Kimchi stew (KRW 3,000) – Taesan Ttukbaegi in Jin-gu Busan ▸Jajang noodles (KRW 2,000) – Bohwajang in Jongro-gu Seoul, 2000 Jajang in Dongrae-gu Busan ▸Cold noodles (KRW 3,500) – Huge Bowl Cold Noodles in Konkuk University Station Seoul, Sura Cold Noodles in Seongnam, Yeongcheon Kudzu Cold Noodles in Cheonan ▸Kalguksu (KRW 2,500) – Seoul Kalguksu in Jin-gu Busan ▸Samgyeopsal (KRW 3,800) – Jungpa Restaurant, Come Again, Jangbi Seagull in Buk-gu Busan, ▸Men's haircuts (KRW 3,500) – Ire Barbershop, Pagoda Barbershop, Jongmyo Barbershop in Jongro Seoul ▸Men's hair dye (KRW 4,000) – Goejung men's haircut in Jin-gu Busan ▸Women's hairdressing (KRW 4,000) – Lee Ae Ja Beauty Care Salon in Haewoondae-gu Busan ▸Women's hair dye (KRW 12,000) – Red & Murmur in Sadang Seoul ▸General perm (KRW 15,000) – Misarang Hair in Sadang Seoul, Myungshim Beauty Care Salon in Suyu Seoul, Princess Hairshop in Jin-gu Busan, Dahye Beauty Care Salon and Dongyang Hair Salon in Suyeong-gu Busan, Lee Ae Ja Beauty Parlor in Haewoondae-gu Busan, Hair Gallery Beauty Parlor, and Meend Hair in Bupyeong/Dongam Incheon.

KNCCO to actively cope with and continuously monitor unfair price hikes

KNCCO plans to conduct the a price survey that targets the same business establishments in the same commercial districts in September and October as well, based on the price survey in August. KNCCO will also release the survey results continuously, and offer the relevant information to the consumers.

In the meantime, the business establishments are considered to be unfairly raising prices using the recent high price trend, and thus cause high prices. KNCCO plans to actively cope with those business establishments that are unfairly raising prices, in cooperation with local governments and relevant agencies, according to the survey results. KNCCO plans to encourage and support the business establishments that are continuously offering low prices but high quality services.

< Group Members >