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Gwangjang Market vendor suspended after allegedly scamming YouTuber

Published: 11 Nov. 2025, 18:48

The image shows a screenshot from a YouTube video shared by a YouTuber known as ″weird sweets shop.″ [SCREEN CAPTURE]

A street vendor at Gwangjang Market in central Seoul received a 10-day business suspension following public backlash over alleged price gouging, the Gwangjang Market merchants association said on Tuesday.

The stall, which sells sundae — or Korean blood sausage — and other street foods, will remain closed from Monday through Nov. 19.

“We held meetings with the Jongno District Office on Nov. 6 and 10 and decided on the level of disciplinary action after internal discussions,” a merchants association representative said. “Given the scale of the controversy, we imposed a heavy penalty with a 10-day business suspension.”

The controversy began after a YouTuber known as “weird sweets shop,” who has 1.51 million subscribers, uploaded a video on Nov. 4, claiming the vendor initially charged 8,000 won ($5.50) for a serving of sundae, only to then ask for 10,000 won.

The vendor claimed that she had asked the YouTuber if she wanted extra meat and that the YouTuber said yes. The YouTuber, on the other hand, refuted those statements, saying the vendor had neither asked nor given her extra meat.

The stall operates without a food service license, as the Food Sanitation Act excludes it from regular oversight by local or national authorities. The merchants' association is the only body able to impose sanctions on Gwangjang Market vendors for issues such as pricing irregularities, hygiene or customer service.

Jongno District officials plan to introduce a “real name system” for stalls in Gwangjang Market, which currently has around 250 sellers, in an effort to restore public trust and regulate the market's commercial practices.

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 JUNG SI-NAE [[email protected]]