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The Most Overpriced Foreign Goods In Korea Are...
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Dev



Joined: 18 Apr 2006

PostPosted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 4:50 am    Post subject: The Most Overpriced Foreign Goods In Korea Are... Reply with quote

At times I am appauled at the doubling, tripling, even quadrupling the prices of foreign goods in this country.

Today a coffee dealer at Namdaemun market told me 15,000 won for a half pound (227 grams) of coffee beans. And no, they weren't Blue Mountain.

A small box of Ahmed brand Earl Grey tea (25 bags) at Shinsegae department store sells for a whopping 8,500 won. I've seen it for an almost equally horrendous 8000 won in other places, but never cheaper than 6000 won. This tea costs about 2000 won anywhere else in the West.

A small bottle of Guiness (330 ml) at Home Plus goes for 3,800 won. No more than 2000 won in my home of Canada, plus you get 500 ml in one of those special draft cans.

All these products are also imports in my country, yet not priced so outrageously. I wonder what the reason is here in Korea?

Putting that question aside, what other imported products do you think are outrageously priced? How many items can we come up with? Please add to the list.
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europe2seoul



Joined: 12 Sep 2005
Location: Seoul, Korea

PostPosted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 4:54 am    Post subject: Re: The Most Overpriced Foreign Goods In Korea Are... Reply with quote

I went to Costco yesterday.

Costco Kirkland champagne was 39,990 won.
Moet&Chandon is 47,000 and a change so naturally I picked that one up.

I think Kirkland Very HappyVery HappyVery Happy champagne is overpriced.

Also, real dijon mustard with seeds seems to be overpriced in stores (not costco).
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antoniothegreat



Joined: 28 Aug 2005
Location: Yangpyeong

PostPosted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 6:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

levi's jeans: here they are 200,000won, back home they are 50,000won

peanuts, here they are really expensive.
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bombenhagen



Joined: 21 Jun 2006
Location: NL

PostPosted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 6:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Real ranch dressing is like 6700 or something like that at Home Plus. Perrier isn't all that cheap either.
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aldershot



Joined: 17 Jul 2006

PostPosted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 6:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

farking dill pickles @ 7000.
farking dorritos @ 4000.
shlit-licking sharp cheddar @ 7500.
bacon @ 6000.
wheat thins @ 9000.
lowenbrau @ 3500/ bottle.

yowsers! that's half my farking paycheck!
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Jarome_Turner



Joined: 10 Sep 2004

PostPosted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 6:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yah, but I just picked up a quart of gin for 4700 won... yipee!!
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Jeonjuguy



Joined: 16 Dec 2006

PostPosted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 7:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Paramasan chesse - 8400 at Homever. Sad
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thebum



Joined: 09 Jan 2005
Location: North Korea

PostPosted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 7:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

all you whiners get your asses to costco and quit bitching
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Qinella



Joined: 25 Feb 2005
Location: the crib

PostPosted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 7:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

thebum wrote:
all you whiners get your asses to costco and quit *beep*


Where you can pick up six slices of canadian ham for the reasonable price of 20,000 won. Laughing
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tacon101



Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Location: seoul

PostPosted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 7:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

nine west shoes

us price $69 on sale for $25
korea 168,000won
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jdog2050



Joined: 17 Dec 2006

PostPosted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 8:26 am    Post subject: Re: The Most Overpriced Foreign Goods In Korea Are... Reply with quote

Dev wrote:
At times I am appauled at the doubling, tripling, even quadrupling the prices of foreign goods in this country.

Today a coffee dealer at Namdaemun market told me 15,000 won for a half pound (227 grams) of coffee beans. And no, they weren't Blue Mountain.

A small box of Ahmed brand Earl Grey tea (25 bags) at Shinsegae department store sells for a whopping 8,500 won. I've seen it for an almost equally horrendous 8000 won in other places, but never cheaper than 6000 won. This tea costs about 2000 won anywhere else in the West.

A small bottle of Guiness (330 ml) at Home Plus goes for 3,800 won. No more than 2000 won in my home of Canada, plus you get 500 ml in one of those special draft cans.

All these products are also imports in my country, yet not priced so outrageously. I wonder what the reason is here in Korea?

Putting that question aside, what other imported products do you think are outrageously priced? How many items can we come up with? Please add to the list.


Hamburger Helper and Lipton instant rice. Both of those products are as cheap as cheap can be, but if you go to the underground stores in itaewon, they're triple the price.
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Sleepy in Seoul



Joined: 15 May 2004
Location: Going in ever decreasing circles until I eventually disappear up my own fundament - in NZ

PostPosted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 8:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

europe2seoul wrote:
Costco Kirkland champagne was 39,990 won.

If Kirkland champagne is from the same company that makes Kirkland cheese, it will be an astonishingly chemical-induced colour and taste absolutely vile.

bombenhagen wrote:
Real ranch dressing is like 6700 or something like that at Home Plus.

How much dressing do you need for a ranch? 6,700won sounds fairly cheap for enough to drench a farm.
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mack the knife



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: standing right behind you...

PostPosted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 8:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Koreans have no idea what foreign items should cost, so distributors feel free to charge whatever ridiculous price comes to mind. They call this a "luxury" tax. Since when has parmesan cheese been a luxury? Or Starbucks coffee?

All of your examples are good, but they're nothing compared to the mark-up on imported vehicles (above and beyond the unreasonable tariff imposed by the government, mind you). Yes, yes. I know. Who's buying import cars...

The mark-up that really pisses me off is oatmeal. W10,000 for a $2.50 carton?!

Shame on you, Korea.
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rothkowitz



Joined: 27 Apr 2006

PostPosted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 9:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Colombia running socks.

45.000 won

In 2000.

Yes I asked them to check.
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Hollywoodaction



Joined: 02 Jul 2004

PostPosted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 9:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mack the knife wrote:
Koreans have no idea what foreign items should cost, so distributors feel free to charge whatever ridiculous price comes to mind. They call this a "luxury" tax. Since when has parmesan cheese been a luxury? Or Starbucks coffee?

All of your examples are good, but they're nothing compared to the mark-up on imported vehicles (above and beyond the unreasonable tariff imposed by the government, mind you). Yes, yes. I know. Who's buying import cars...

The mark-up that really pisses me off is oatmeal. W10,000 for a $2.50 carton?!

Shame on you, Korea.


There's a guy in my neighborhood who drives around in a Chrysler Sebring. If I get a chance, I'll ask him how much he paid, smile and tell him how much they go for in Canada (a new one goes for as low as 14000$ because nobody's buying them. One dealer told my buddy that they are practically giving them away because Canadian baby boomers simply don't want to drive an old man's car).


Last edited by Hollywoodaction on Sun Dec 31, 2006 5:47 am; edited 1 time in total
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