160,000 won grilled hairtail, 30,000 won stir-fried blood sausage... "I totally got scammed"

Ahead of the peak tourist season, Jeju Island is addressing complaints about high-priced foods such as grilled cutlassfish costing between 70,000 to 100,000 won and 30,000 won for stir-fried blood sausage, which have been pointed out as typical examples of overcharging.

According to Jeju Island on the 8th, the province recently launched a public-private consultative body for creating cost-effective Jeju tourism. This is a measure to enhance tourist satisfaction in a situation where information about travel costs and service quality is shared in real-time through social networking services.

 

Recently, at the cherry blossom festival site, stir-fried blood sausage containing six pieces of blood sausage was sold for 25,000 won, reigniting the controversy over overcharging.

 

Therefore, Jeju Island has begun to respond belatedly by attaching food photos to the menu. As complaints about some restaurants selling pork belly with a lot of fat have continued, distrust in food prices and quality is growing.

A review claiming that a meal with grilled cutlassfish costs 160,000 won and nearly 100,000 won was spent on drinks and desserts has spread, causing controversy. In response, Jeju Island plans to adjust the prices of major dining items such as cutlassfish, pork belly, kimchi stew, jajangmyeon, and kalguksu, which are considered more expensive than the national average.

 

Amidst this controversy, the number of domestic tourists visiting Jeju has been decreasing each year. According to Jeju Island and the tourism industry, the number of tourists visiting Jeju from January to February this year decreased by 10.5% compared to the same period last year. The decline in domestic tourists has expanded from 6.2% at the end of last year to 13% this year.

 

In the past three years, the number of domestic tourists has been decreasing: 13.8 million in 2022, 12.66 million in 2023 (an 8.3% decrease from the previous year), and 11.86 million in 2024 (a 6.3% decrease). Experts analyze that the perception of high prices and a lack of value for money are spreading, leading to Jeju being overlooked even by Korean travelers.

 

An industry insider stated, "Jeju Island's decision to create a 'cost-effective tourism environment' ahead of this season is very timely," and pointed out that "controversies over excessive food prices can undermine tourists' trust and lead to a decline in visitors."

 

He also stated, "Jeju Island is expanding the 'Good Price Store' system and increasing transparency by clearly displaying food photos and prices," and "We are also promoting measures such as providing local restaurant information and increasing affordable food options." Additionally, friendliness training and hospitality campaigns are being implemented to improve the overall quality of tourism services.

 

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It's been years of just talking about Jeju Island's magnetic properties and transparent pricing.

 

Still not getting it together...ㅠ.ㅠ Still full of worries, who would go...