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Swampfox10mm
Joined: 24 Mar 2011
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 Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2013 4:22 am Post subject: |
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I am wondering how long it will be before Itaewon becomes like everywhere else. Soon they will push out the shops that peddle crap to foreigners. Then the street vendors will be seen as competition to those paying high rent and be forced out. I am sure it will become too expensive for What the Book to operate, and they will be replaced. Then we will just have yet another street that looks like your neighborhood.
About that time, hooker/gay hills will be raised (has been scheduled for about 4 years from now). The international food stores will be pushed out due to excessive rent.
Everything will change. |
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Zyzyfer
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?
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| Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2013 10:20 pm Post subject: |
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| I'm With You wrote: |
| Where will we go after it's been Koreanized? |
For the time being, Haebangchon and Gyeongnidan seem to be where the new ideas are popping up. |
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augustine
Joined: 08 Sep 2012
Location: México
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| Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2013 11:36 pm Post subject: |
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| Zyzyfer wrote: |
| For the time being, Haebangchon and Gyeongnidan seem to be where the new ideas are popping up. |
I'm post stalking you  . No, this is absolutely true. I don't hang around HBC much but that place has transformed like crazy since I've been here. And if you walk up Kyrunggidung (blah, there's no proper way to spell it) street on a Friday or Saturday night, it looks like a mardi gras off night, but, you know, without the good stuff. And there are loads of Korean people. There's a friggin cupcake shop in the middle of the action that has managed to stay open for while now, so yeah, the wider hood area is getting trendier by the day. Not all bad, not all good I guess, but I still can't find a decent sandwich anywhere.  |
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Zyzyfer
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?
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| Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 12:20 am Post subject: |
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I think we have to resign ourselves to being doomed when it comes to getting a good sammich, mang.* There is some stuff that is all right out there right now, but it's not exactly priced to inspire. Hell, I think Baker's Table jacked up prices on a few of their sammiches recently, it's like come on cut that crap out.
Anyway yeah not all of the things popping up are amazing, but despite the rather high turnover for businesses, people are trying things, and some of those things are gaining traction.
(*Actually the sammich issue has given me my latest hare-brained idea for a business venture, since the Linus chap snapped up my previous one of doing pulled pork BBQ here, all I need is someone with a high amount of capital and a low IQ to sell my idea on muhwaha ) |
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augustine
Joined: 08 Sep 2012
Location: México
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| Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 1:14 am Post subject: |
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It's been a while since I checked but I may still have the low IQ... but not the other thing 
I know what you're saying, like the, uh, porchetta... prochetta... yeah, that place at the bottom of the street. I never see very many people in there but it's OK and is clearly a pretty out there kind of place to start up in such an expensive area. I don't know how long it will last though. I've talked with the guys who were seemingly running the place and they seemed very cool and forward thinking. I definitely haven't been helping them lately though lol.The Baker's Table is good but man, yeah, I think it's like $12 for a BLT with some chipotle mayo... and about 60% of the sandwich is comprised of lettuce... NO! |
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Zyzyfer
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?
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| Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 4:53 pm Post subject: |
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| augustine wrote: |
It's been a while since I checked but I may still have the low IQ... but not the other thing
I know what you're saying, like the, uh, porchetta... prochetta... yeah, that place at the bottom of the street. I never see very many people in there but it's OK and is clearly a pretty out there kind of place to start up in such an expensive area. I don't know how long it will last though. I've talked with the guys who were seemingly running the place and they seemed very cool and forward thinking. I definitely haven't been helping them lately though lol.The Baker's Table is good but man, yeah, I think it's like $12 for a BLT with some chipotle mayo... and about 60% of the sandwich is comprised of lettuce... NO! |
Yeah Porchetta, it is good but even I find the portions a bit small there. Though I do wish they would get some traction, they have some nice ideas.
Baker's Table has chipotle mayo? Is this one of those special request sort of things? |
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dairyairy
Joined: 17 May 2012
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 5:20 pm Post subject: |
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| Swampfox10mm wrote: |
I am wondering how long it will be before Itaewon becomes like everywhere else. Soon they will push out the shops that peddle crap to foreigners. Then the street vendors will be seen as competition to those paying high rent and be forced out. I am sure it will become too expensive for What the Book to operate, and they will be replaced. Then we will just have yet another street that looks like your neighborhood.
About that time, hooker/gay hills will be raised (has been scheduled for about 4 years from now). The international food stores will be pushed out due to excessive rent.
Everything will change. |
You're correct and it was proven by the local government's declaration of a "special tourist zone" with the "upgrading of facilities."
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2012/11/116_123711.html
Article discussed on this thread
http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=224046&highlight=itaewon |
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augustine
Joined: 08 Sep 2012
Location: México
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| Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 5:43 pm Post subject: |
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| Zyzyfer wrote: |
| augustine wrote: |
It's been a while since I checked but I may still have the low IQ... but not the other thing
I know what you're saying, like the, uh, porchetta... prochetta... yeah, that place at the bottom of the street. I never see very many people in there but it's OK and is clearly a pretty out there kind of place to start up in such an expensive area. I don't know how long it will last though. I've talked with the guys who were seemingly running the place and they seemed very cool and forward thinking. I definitely haven't been helping them lately though lol.The Baker's Table is good but man, yeah, I think it's like $12 for a BLT with some chipotle mayo... and about 60% of the sandwich is comprised of lettuce... NO! |
Yeah Porchetta, it is good but even I find the portions a bit small there. Though I do wish they would get some traction, they have some nice ideas.
Baker's Table has chipotle mayo? Is this one of those special request sort of things? |
I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure that's what comes on the BLT. That's what it looks and tastes like, at least. I don't even like mayo but I've acclimated myself to that version of it. It's a good BLT, loads of tasty bacon. But, as I said, you'll probably wind up taking about 80% of the lettuce off of it as it's just an insane amount to put on a BLT. Quality greens, but I think that's what's chubbing up the price and size concerning that particular sandwich. He goes pretty heavy on the L part... though that seems to be the norm here. |
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Yaya
Joined: 25 Feb 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 8:45 pm Post subject: |
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| Swampfox10mm wrote: |
I am wondering how long it will be before Itaewon becomes like everywhere else. Soon they will push out the shops that peddle crap to foreigners. Then the street vendors will be seen as competition to those paying high rent and be forced out. I am sure it will become too expensive for What the Book to operate, and they will be replaced. Then we will just have yet another street that looks like your neighborhood.
About that time, hooker/gay hills will be raised (has been scheduled for about 4 years from now). The international food stores will be pushed out due to excessive rent.
Everything will change. |
One big problem with Itaewon is the crazy rents. A bar does well, the landlord sees that and then jacks up the rent. Or a competitor can pull dirty tricks to hurt the competition. |
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dairyairy
Joined: 17 May 2012
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 5:40 am Post subject: |
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It's part of a larger trend of higher priced chains going under in the Seoul area and in Korea as a whole.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2013/08/488_140824.html
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Family restaurants chains in crisis
According to the industry, major family restaurant chains such as T.G.I. Friday’s, Tony Roma’s and Bennigan’s have closed down stores located in central Seoul, reportedly due to the inability to pay higher rent under unfavorable economic conditions.
“We decided not to renew our contact because we were not happy with the terms of lease offered by landlords,” said a T.G.I. Friday’s spokesman. T.G.I. Friday’s is an American casual restaurant chain that entered the country in 1992. The local franchise, taken over by the fast food chain Lotteria in 2009, currently operates 46 branches in the country.
Its competitors Marche and Sizzler, the first generation of family restaurants in Korea, recently went out of business after failing to overcome business difficulties.
“It’s true that we have had financial difficulties, but I think it’s the same everywhere in the saturated dining market,” a Marche spokesman said. “We acted quickly to prevent further trouble.
“I am sure other big restaurant chains have also found it difficult to survive, except those run by conglomerates.”
Marche, a Swiss restaurant chain that ran about 100 branches nationwide, closed in May, having operated in Korea since 1996. Sizzler, a family restaurant chain run by a TS Corp. subsidiary, also closed recently.
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Why is it happening?
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“The prolonged recession is the biggest problem here,” said KTB Investment & Securities analyst Kim Min-jung.
“Consumers no longer want to, or cannot afford to spend much on eating out, and family restaurant chains have failed to react to this quickly enough, which led to closure for some of them.
“The problems have affected food suppliers, too. Big B2B companies such as CJ Freshway, Hyundai Greenfood and Shinsegae Food have been asked to provide cheaper food for the restaurant chains’ low-price lunch menus.
“So when you think about the quality of food, it’s definitely much lower than before,” Kim said.
The poor economic conditions have polarized the restaurant industry.
“Consumers go for either very expensive fine dining restaurants or cheap, affordable options like the ones in the food courts,” she added.
“According to food companies Pulmuone and Dongwon F&B, concession stores in food courts and motorway service stations are becoming more popular. These companies are apparently planning to open more outlets.”
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beentheredonethat777
Joined: 27 Jul 2013
Location: AsiaHaven
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| Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 8:29 am Post subject: Re: Goodbye Itaewon Outback |
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| Swampfox10mm wrote: |
| Sorry to see it gone. Bummer. |
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^^. TEARS. That was my favorite weekend treat to myself.
I travelled more than three hours to get here, just to have lunch and relax.
Now what? |
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atwood
Joined: 26 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 4:42 pm Post subject: |
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Good info, dairy.
Real estate seems to be at the heart of it. That's what's making it so hard for Costco to expand--although there's also now some community activists protesting against a new Costco--and probably keeping other popular foreign retailers and food chains out of Korea.
It also partially explains the high prices of such places in Korea. |
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transmogrifier
Joined: 02 Jan 2012
Location: Seoul, South Korea
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| Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 4:46 pm Post subject: |
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| God I wish they had more Costcos here, just so that my sporadic visits didn't end up being my crammed in with a billion other people and seething in frustration. |
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dairyairy
Joined: 17 May 2012
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 9:11 pm Post subject: |
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| atwood wrote: |
Good info, dairy.
Real estate seems to be at the heart of it. That's what's making it so hard for Costco to expand--although there's also now some community activists protesting against a new Costco--and probably keeping other popular foreign retailers and food chains out of Korea.
It also partially explains the high prices of such places in Korea. |
It ties in with that story from a few months ago about the Korean government limiting the locations for new chain restaurants. They're strangulating the industry to "protect" crappy, smaller Korean restaurants. Some on this thread would say "But they don't directly compete." Tell that to the Korean government and the smaller Korean restaurants that see everything as a threat.
http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2972214&cloc=joongangdaily|home|top
and the thread
http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=228160&highlight=restaurant
In fact Outback was named in the article as one of the top restaurant chains that would suffer under the new regulations.
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When the regulations take effect, E-Land Group’s Ashley, Outback Steak Korea’s Outback Steak House, CJ Group’s VIPS, Lotte Group’s TGI Friday’s will be directly hit.
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kimchipig
Joined: 07 Mar 2008
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| Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2013 5:09 pm Post subject: |
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| augustine wrote: |
| Nashville is also no longer more. Can't say I'm really surprised since that place was almost always dead, but it had a nice atmosphere. |
The Nashville is gone! Oh my God, the tears roll down my cheeks! The Nashville was our starter place for years. The cheese burger was good and they played movies on the projector TV all day. Downed many a pint there with much good company.
Please, don't tell me the Seoul Pub is gone! |
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