As 'bung-flation' puts Korea's iconic winter pastry beyond reach, consumers turn to alternatives
Published: 10 Dec. 2025, 15:26
![Bungeoppang, or fish-shaped pastries, are seen at a street stall in Seoul on Oct. 25. [JOONGANG ILBO]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/10/5b19e3f8-2718-40ab-b08c-1e48d3386b9c.jpg)
Bungeoppang, or fish-shaped pastries, are seen at a street stall in Seoul on Oct. 25. [JOONGANG ILBO]
Bungeoppang, the fish-shaped pastries that have long been a cheap winter treat in Korea, are getting expensive. At some street stalls, a single pastry now costs as much as 1,500 won ($1). Vendors and shoppers say rising red-bean prices are driving the increase, pushing some customers to frozen alternatives — and drawing major food companies into the market.
Choi, an office worker in their 30s, said they recently stopped at a stall in Gangnam, southern Seoul, and found that the price had jumped.
“The red bean fish-shaped pastry still tastes the same, but even 1,000 won felt expensive — now it's 1,500 won,” Choi said on Tuesday. “I hesitated and ended up buying just one.”
The winter snack favorite is being hit by what Koreans are calling “bung-flation” — a combination of bungeoppang and inflation.
In central Seoul areas like Gangnam and Jongno, prices per pastry have climbed to between 1,000 and 1,500 won. Just last year, the standard price was 1,000 won for two, or 2,000 won for three.
“When I was a kid, I could get five for 1,000 won, and even just a few years ago, I could still get three,” said a 52-year-old Kim Jeong-ah. “Now I can only afford one.”
The debate over rising prices gained even more traction after a popular singer appeared on a YouTube video last Monday and expressed surprise that a single pastry cost 1,000 won at a stall in Gangnam.
![CJ CheilJedang’s ″Bibigo Sweet Red Bean Waffle″ frozen snack product [CJ CHEILJEDANG]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/10/14098afc-fc29-451e-8461-1836d6c018bb.jpg)
CJ CheilJedang’s ″Bibigo Sweet Red Bean Waffle″ frozen snack product [CJ CHEILJEDANG]
![Bungeoppang, or fish-shaped pastries, are seen at a street stall in Seoul on Oct. 25. [JOONGANG ILBO]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/10/450f2333-5295-4bc5-a738-408b23c02947.jpg)
Bungeoppang, or fish-shaped pastries, are seen at a street stall in Seoul on Oct. 25. [JOONGANG ILBO]
Online communities are flooded with reactions about the price hike. “Bungeoppang prices are crazy,” some commenters complain. “They used to be my go-to winter snack, but now they feel like a luxury.”
The main driver behind the price spike appears to be the soaring cost of red beans. The wholesale price for 40 kilograms (88 pounds) of domestic red beans reached 721,800 won, up 33.8 percent from 539,400 won on Nov. 12 last year, according to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation on Tuesday.
Prices peaked at 796,600 won earlier this year and have remained high. Industry experts point to a drop in domestic red bean cultivation and production as the main reason for the surge. Imported red beans are also becoming more expensive, making it hard for vendors to find cheaper substitutes.
As prices rise, more consumers are turning to frozen alternatives.
“I buy a bag of frozen bungeoppang and heat them up in the air fryer,” said an officer worker in his 40s surnamed Yang. “They’re cheaper per piece and taste pretty good.”
![Otoki's churros-style bungeoppang pastries [OTOKI]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/10/bd762194-c4aa-4ebb-ac1e-525dbdf4e838.jpg)
Otoki's churros-style bungeoppang pastries [OTOKI]
Online sales of CJ CheilJedang’s bungeoppang-shaped “Bibigo Sweet Red Bean Waffle” snack rose by 45 percent last month compared to the same period a year earlier, according to the food company.
A single pack, which includes 11 to 12 frozen pastries, costs 7,600 won, or around 630 won per piece. Riding the popularity, the company launched a matcha-flavored version in October.
Food companies, e-commerce platforms and convenience stores are now scrambling to enter the bungeoppang market. Otoki, which already sells a red bean version, recently added churros-style pastries in chocolate and matcha flavors.
SSG.com, an e-commerce platform, partnered with ready-meal brand Ottol to release a low-sugar variant. Convenience store chain 7-Eleven is selling freshly made bungeoppang at select locations.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY LIM SUN-YOUNG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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