Among popular dining-out options in South Korea, the price of jajangmyeon (black bean noodles) has seen the most significant increase over the past 10 years.

According to the Korea Consumer Agency's price information platform, "Chamgageok," the average price of seven popular menu items in Seoul rose by 40.2% in December 2023 compared to December 2014.

During this period, the price of jajangmyeon, a quintessential affordable dish, jumped from 4,500 won to 7,423 won, marking a 65% surge – the highest among the listed menu items.

Jajangmyeon prices surpassed the 5,000 won mark in 2019 and even exceeded 7,000 won in 2023, just four years later.

Other notable price increases include:

Cold noodles (naengmyeon): 8,000 won to 12,000 won (50% increase)
Kimchi stew with rice: 5,727 won to 8,269 won (44.4% increase)
Knife-cut noodle soup (kalguksu): 6,500 won to 9,385 won (44.4% increase)
In contrast, the price of gimbap (seaweed rice rolls) saw the smallest increase, rising from 3,200 won to 3,500 won (9.4%).

Factors Behind the Jajangmyeon Price Hike

The disproportionate rise in jajangmyeon prices compared to other dishes is primarily attributed to the soaring costs of its key ingredients.

According to the National Statistical Office's National Statistics Portal, the consumer price index for green onions skyrocketed by 110% during the same period. Other agricultural products like cucumbers (100%), zucchini (70%), and onions (60%) also experienced significant price increases.

Processed food ingredients were not exempt from this trend. Salt prices rose by 80%, while sugar, cooking oil, soy sauce, and flour saw increases of around 50%, 40%, and 30%, respectively. Pork, the sole meat ingredient in jajangmyeon, also increased by 40%, further adding to the cost burden.

Continued Price Rise and Future Outlook

Jajangmyeon prices continued to climb in the past year, with a 5% increase from January to December 2023 alone. If this trend persists, the average price of jajangmyeon in Seoul's local Chinese restaurants is projected to reach the 8,000 won range as early as next year.

Lee Dong-hoon, a senior researcher at Korea Price Information, explained, "Jajangmyeon, with its diverse range of ingredients from agricultural products to processed foods and livestock, is particularly vulnerable to fluctuations in commodity prices. With the general upward trend in ingredient prices, the cost of jajangmyeon is likely to be affected."

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