The reporter goes there, tries it, and listens. The 4th generation, Boniboni, is a reporter with a doctorate. There is a sweet smell in the studio. Have you ‘tried it’ today (the 24th)?
[Reporter]
Yes, today is ‘I tried baking and eating Bungeoppang’. When the cold wind blows굿모닝토토 도메인, the first winter snack that comes to mind is this bungeoppang. I tried baking with this machine once.
[Anchor]
Let’s open it. Let’s see how well it was made.
[Reporter]
It’s a little embarrassing, but it tastes good.
[Anchor]
We’re not doing a bungeoppang mukbang today, are we?
[Reporter]
Yes, it doesn’t end after eating. By any chance, how much did Anchor Park and Anchor Shin pay for a piece of bungeoppang when they were young?
[Anchor]
In the past, I think it was usually 1,000 won for 4 to 5 pieces. Sometimes they even give you one as a service.
[Reporter]
Didn’t 10 pieces cost 1,000 won when Park Jin-gyu was an anchor? No, I’m kidding. sorry.
Anyway, this bungeoppang is delicious so people buy it and eat it, but it is a typical common food that people buy because it is cheap. You may have felt that the price of bungeoppang rose a lot last year, but it seems that the price of bungeoppang will continue to skyrocket this winter as well.
[Anchor]
How much is it worth now?
[Reporter]
When we bought them, they cost 800 won each. These days, it’s hard to find even 3 pieces for 1,000 won. I think the average price is 1,000 won for two or 2,000 won for three. It varies a bit depending on the region, but in the Gangnam or Myeongdong areas, there are places that charge 1,000 won per animal. Also, if cream puffs, walnuts, or cream cheese are added, the price rises to 2,500 won per piece.
[Anchor]
From the consumer’s perspective, the price has more than doubled. I know the prices of eating out are rising rapidly these days, but it’s probably because the price of raw materials has risen, right?
[Reporter]
Yes, that’s right. I looked at today’s prices posted on the agricultural product distribution information of the Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corporation. Red beans, the main ingredient in bungeobbang, were priced at 8,121 won for 500g. The price was 7,647 won a year ago, so it rose by about 6%. It was 5,688 won 3 years ago. So it’s a 42% jump.
[Anchor]
Bungeoppang doesn’t just contain red beans, it also contains flour, sugar, and other things.
[Reporter]
Yes, according to the National Statistics Portal of the National Statistical Office, the consumer price index for flour last month (137.67) was slightly lower than a year ago (138.26). However, a year ago, it had already risen due to the war between Russia and Ukraine. We will have to compare prices before the war, that is, two years ago. (95.09) If you put it this way, it jumped by a whopping 44.8%.
[Anchor]
Even though prices are raised like this, if you look at the prices of raw materials, merchants are not making that much profit.
[Reporter]
Yes, street vendor crackdowns are so thorough these days that more and more stores are closing down. Since there is no profit if you only sell bungeoppang, most of them sell it along with other menu items at cafes. It is called the ‘shop-in-shop’ method. Also, these days, due to labor costs, there are not many places that bake and sell it themselves, but many places sell it by getting it from a factory. Would you like to hear the voice of a bungeoppang merchant for yourself?
[Bunggeoppang seller/Mapo-gu, Seoul: They are currently selling for 1,000 won per piece. First of all, the prices of materials have risen a lot. As cafes and other places tried to sell bungeoppang, the price of flour rose again. Since there are so many drink menus, baking bungeoppang together takes more labor than expected. There’s nothing left. So, when I see that, I feel a sense of urgency and this job becomes difficult and my heart becomes tired… ]
[Anchor]
It’s hard for those who sell bungeoppang, and it’s hard for those who buy it because it’s expensive… However, when the cold wind blows, many people still look for bungeoppang. There is even a term called ‘bungseok area’ instead of station area.
[Reporter]
Yes. There is even an app that shows the area where bungeoppang is sold, ‘Bongse-gwon’. I bought it after seeing this.