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Food in Korea Super Expensive?
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raketbaler

Joined: 14 Apr 2008

Posted: Sat May 24, 2008 11:51 am Post subject:

bogey666 wrote:

raketbaler wrote:

bogey666 wrote:

raketbaler wrote:

bogey666 wrote:

raketbaler wrote:

thanks guys, but I'm bringing too much stuff as it is. As long as I know I can buy one there I'm happy. I'm wondering about the power converter you mentioned. I hope I can buy one of those there for my laptop. Would it be smart to bring a power strip and then buy a power converter there? That way I can plug the power converter into the wall and then plug the power strip into that, so I can then plug many things into the power strip? I don't even know what a power converter looks like.

don't get confused between a pin converter and a voltage converter.

your laptop will only need a pin converter.. you should check but the "brick" on the power cord should serve/convert under both 110 and 220V.

in my case, my boombox and GF grill would get fried if I ONLY used a pin converter.. ergo I need a voltage converter in order not to damage the appliances. A good one is a bit expensive here, I think they start at 40,000 won. I paid 58K for mine.. but am happy with it.

if you can get a Foreman grill locally, AND it works on 220V, mitigating the need for a voltage converter, then it MIGHT balance out whatever extra money you'd have to shell out to buy it locally.

I'm a cheapskate, but not on initial outlays for things I deem necessary for the duration of my stay.

P.S. do NOT buy a power strip in US. That's quite dumb. It'll be rated for 110V and fry immediately. You can buy them here at reasonable cost. And they work with local current.

The brick on my laptop powercord actually say "100-240V".
thanks for the advice, I won't be bringing a power strip.

that means your laptop can handle voltage current within that range
ergo it can handle 220V and all you'll need is a converter

thanks for the advice bogey. Also, I'm still waiting for another 'noob diaries' to come out.

Oi girls is right.. if you need to plug in more than two appliances to the converter than a US power strip can be useful.. but then I'd say maybe you're bringing too many appliances since you can get almost anything here.

re diaries. back from Seoul today.. and will think about what to write up and how. Frankly, if I'm going to be honest, I am going to come across as an arrogant *beep* and piss off almost everyone else on this board. but my eyes don't lie. (at least from limited sample experienced)

I will tell you this. I need to know about the demographics here because Seoul may have the highest square per meter hot trim capita I have encountered. (though I find them more "pretty/"nice to look at" than sexy.) All I see in the US are fat and dour faced old bats and hags and here seems like the entire city is made up of women between the ages of say 16-35. Millions of them. Can't be possible.

to be fair, due to US car culture, you don't see the people around/walking like you do here. But even in Manhattan where a lot of people do walk around.. can't hold a candle to Seoul. Not even remotely close. (for eye candy)

alright, I want to hear all about is, since Seoul is where I'm going to be living. Kangnam to be exact.

Tarkaan

Joined: 09 Mar 2008

Posted: Sat May 24, 2008 4:13 pm Post subject:

Return Jones wrote:

Food, and food prices, are the least of a person's worries in Korea. Prices for meat and vegetables fluctuate now and then, but overall things are affordable and of good quality. Stop worrying about it.

On the high street in Seokjeok Woobang Shincheong-ji, the grocery store dead opposite the bus stop has Soju for 200 won cheaper than the rest of the area (1000).

Suwon23

Joined: 24 Jan 2008

Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 12:24 am Post subject:

bogey666 wrote:

let's say if I eat a "traditional" Korean meal for lunch, etc that's full of tofu and all that other garbage, my stomach is somewhat full, especially because of the rice, (which I otherwise avoid) but I still feel hungry... because I haven't eaten any meat... or fish.

Funny, I'm the other way. I never feel satisfied unless I have some carbs in my system. After a big meal of samgyeopsal, all my friends are full as ticks, but I'm thinking "So... what's next?" I guess the food that fills you up is the food you're used to... Maybe, I dunno.

As for the other point, that most Korean protein sources are more international than Korean, I disagree. The chicken, for example, was first domesticated in south-east Asia, and has been a regular part of the Chinese diet for far longer than the Western diet. Chicken and eggs were thus immediately adopted in Korea when agriculture first spread there, and have been major sources of protein for thousands of years. To say that eggs aren't Korean because other people eat them is like saying wine isn't a part of the traditional French diet because people drink wine everywhere. Other protein sources, like tofu, red beans, and pork, are also undeniable parts of the Korean diet. In fact, I would think you would enjoy Korean food if for no other reason than the ubiquitous nature of pork. I don't think I could go for a week without pork if I tried... It's in everything!

Still, you can definitely ruin your protein intake by eating nothing but myeonryu, bibimbap, and kimbap. No question.

Tarkaan: Is this a brand-name, or home-brewed?

Tarkaan

Joined: 09 Mar 2008

Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 1:13 am Post subject:

Suwon23 wrote:

Tarkaan: Is this a brand-name, or home-brewed?

Jinro, baby. All the way.

aka Dave

Joined: 02 May 2008
Location: Down by the river

Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 6:49 am Post subject:

The best thing for protein intake is egg whites. You get 100 percent portein intake. If you're trying to build muscle check this site. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/index.html If you want to know about healthy foods try this site. http://whfoods.org/

bettyspaghetti

Joined: 28 Apr 2008
Location: Seoul (Mokdong)

Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 10:16 am Post subject:

Tofu is not garbage! It is high in protein. 4oz. of tofu has over 10 grams of protein. That's half as much protein as beef and almost the same amount as two eggs. I'm not a veggie (I'm from Texas, my family would shun me!) but I love tofu. It shouldn't be discounted as a protein source.

raketbaler

Joined: 14 Apr 2008

Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 10:32 am Post subject:

My boy Bear Grylls says, that bugs have more protien then chicken and beef combinded. There's a cheap way to get your protein. I'll stick to chicken.

bettyspaghetti

Joined: 28 Apr 2008
Location: Seoul (Mokdong)

Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 10:48 am Post subject:

what about silk worm larvae??

SirFink

Joined: 05 Mar 2006

Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 10:55 am Post subject:

Zaria32 wrote:

But why on earth would you want to eat western food?

Because Korean food is crap?

If you're not afraid of cooking then the basics such as vegetables and meat are cheap, or at least about the same as you'd pay in the West. Cheese is expensive and some imported things are too (I remember seeing Hagen Dasz for 7,000) but there's plenty of decent domestic versions of Western foods, such as ice cream and pizza and it's pretty cheap.

One thing's for sure: there's a mountain of cheap junk food in Korea. Cookies, candy, snack chips and ice cream crowd the shelves at every corner store. No wonder the new generation of Korean kids are getting fat. No wonder so many white folks over there manage to maintain their girth.

Thunndarr

Joined: 30 Sep 2003

Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 2:42 pm Post subject:

Quote:

You're exactly right. The American food you're used to eating is "overpriced" because they pay tax and import duty. Protip: Buy the Lotte version of your American favourites.

You know, if they allowed it here, American beef and American rice would still be cheaper than the Korean versions of same, even after the applicable taxes. Korean beef is some of the most expensive in the world, and the same goes for rice.

Inidentally, I think that the premise that foreign goods are more expensive only because of tariffs isn't well-reasoned. Foreign goods should be more expensive than Korean goods due to the fact of the shipping costs involved sending them halfway around the world.

However, despite that, before tariffs are applied, foreign goods are often cheaper, in some cases MUCH cheaper, than Korean goods. Basically, this means the tariffs on imports have the net effect of raising prices of all goods because there is no incentive for vendors to lower their prices.

Yeah, Korea is overpriced. It's built into the system.

Tarkaan

Joined: 09 Mar 2008

Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 3:37 pm Post subject:

Thunndarr wrote:

I don't recall what I paid for my bag of rice (I don't generally look at prices), but I don't recall being shocked. If that's what it costs, that's what it costs. More on that below...

Thunndarr wrote:

Inidentally, I think that the premise that foreign goods are more expensive only because of tariffs isn't well-reasoned. Foreign goods should be more expensive than Korean goods due to the fact of the shipping costs involved sending them halfway around the world.

Yes, and the taxes, and the tariffs, and the fact that food slated for domestic sale produced domestically in the United States, especially staples like rice and grains, is government subsidized. Now, take your USDA subsidized grain and feed it to cows. Hey, look! Cheaper cows! Beef is more expensive in Korea possibly because they don't do what we do in the states - send the tax money from the middle class to grow grain that is fed to cows which are fed to the upper class. If we paid "real prices" for anything in the States, we'd be appalled by what things cost.

Thunndarr wrote:

However, despite that, before tariffs are applied, foreign goods are often cheaper, in some cases MUCH cheaper, than Korean goods. Basically, this means the tariffs on imports have the net effect of raising prices of all goods because there is no incentive for vendors to lower their prices.

Yeah, Korea is overpriced. It's built into the system.

Of course it's built into the system, they have VAT, 부가세. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Value_added_tax ) Calculate that into your 3% tax rate. Every Korean consumer good or service, reduce the cost by about 20% and you have the real price. The rest pays for your roads, healthcare, and national defense.[/url]

topas

Joined: 25 Apr 2007

Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 5:12 pm Post subject:

DCJames wrote:

icicle wrote:

DCJames wrote:

I bought 3 smallish-medium potatoes at Emart yesterday.

Cost?

3,200 won Shocked

This is another example where buying vegetables in one of the outside markets will be much much cheaper .... I know that I have seen around 4 times as many potatoes for around the same price ... You cannot use supermarket prices for fruit and vegetables as a true reflection of the price of fruit and vegetables in Korea - Often the supermarket cost is much more

I've hear this argument again and again and again.

If you go to those outside markets, you'll see prices are cheaper but not that much cheaper.

In fact, there are some outside markets that are more expensive than the chain supermarkets.

Not all outside markets are the same.

Agreed. And outdoor market prices are often still higher than those I paid in Canada. Plus you can never just buy 3 potatoes there, you have to buy 10, etc. Now you're stuck paying for 3x the quantity you originally wanted, and there is no room for them in your tiny kitchen-area. And, unless you're a) a well-organized cook who b) doesn't mind eating potatoes for the rest of the week, you're stuck with a bunch of quickly-rotting potatoes that you have to pay some more money to dispose of. Rolling Eyes

Outdoor markets are totally overrated here.

Kitten

Joined: 30 Sep 2007

Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 6:10 pm Post subject:

OiGirl wrote:

Imported and/or foreign foods will be much more expensive at the stores. Korean staples are dirt cheap. Except for rice.

Price of korean beef is outrageous, and to a lesser extent: chicken, pork, beer, coffee, eggs and most fruit (lemons, grapes, oranges, pears, bananas are 2-3 times as much as the US). Regarding Korean rice, its 4 times that of the international price...thank you korean rice farmers.

Suwon23

Joined: 24 Jan 2008

Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 9:04 pm Post subject:

Tarkaan wrote:

Beef is more expensive in Korea possibly because they don't do what we do in the states - send the tax money from the middle class to grow grain that is fed to cows which are fed to the upper class.

wait... the upper class? Have you ever been to Alabama? Those people eat cows with a straw.

Thunndarr

Joined: 30 Sep 2003

Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 10:22 pm Post subject:

Quote:

Yes, the effect of subsidies is good for the consumer. No, it does not transfer wealth from the middle class to the upper class.

From wikipedia:

Quote:

It can not be argued that this makes consumers in general better off, since it was their own taxes that paid for the subsidies in the first place (see below). However, it may benefit certain consumers in particular. Compared with wealthier individuals, poor people generally pay a smaller proportion of their income in taxes, and they generally spend a larger proportion of their income on food. Thus lower food prices, financed through tax revenues, will provide larger benefits for the poor than for the wealthy

Tarkaan wrote:

I don't recall what I paid for my bag of rice (I don't generally look at prices), but I don't recall being shocked. If that's what it costs, that's what it costs. More on that below...

From here.

Quote:

8 kg bag of short grain rice for $10. So that would cost you about $24 in Korea. Koreans are happy as beavers in a wood pile to pay 240% more for their rice!

Actually, I just paid 24,000 won for a 4kg bag of rice on Friday night. So, that makes an 8kg bag around 48,000 won, compared with $10 Canadian. Yeah, that might not matter to you, but it does to a whole lot of poor people in this country.

Now, is it your contention that agriculture subsidies lower the price of rice that much? Or is it more likely that Korean rice is at a competitive disadvantage because this country doesn't have a modernized farming industry, lacks large amounts of farmland, and is a protected industry?

Rice is just one example, but perhaps the most pertinent. Korea's protectionist trade practices protect the few (farmers) at the expense of the many (the consumers.) And the ones who can afford to bear the brunt of it the least are hit the hardest by it, the poor working class.

Let's not even delve into the fact that Koreans earn on average far less than Americans or Canadians, and so are even less able to afford higher food costs...

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