2,000 won for bottled water? Gwangjang Market food stalls again accused of price gouging.
Published: 22 Apr. 2026, 17:04
Updated: 22 Apr. 2026, 17:23
![Myanmar-born YouTuber Khaing, right, and her Russian friend at the Gwnagjang Market in central Seoul [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/04/22/6a9c7dcd-81ca-4154-bb5b-25de1b197892.jpg)
Myanmar-born YouTuber Khaing, right, and her Russian friend at the Gwnagjang Market in central Seoul [SCREEN CAPTURE]
Food stalls at Gwangjang Market, a popular traditional market among tourists in Seoul, were found to have been charging double for bottled water, officials said Tuesday.
The findings came during an on-site inspection on Monday by Seoul Metropolitan Government and Jongno District officials, who checked prices, sales practices and hygiene conditions at food stalls, following controversy over overpriced bottled water sold to a foreign YouTuber on April 16.
Myanmar-born YouTuber Khaing, with 30,000 subscribers, was charged 2,000 won ($1.35) for a 500-milliliter (17 fluid ounces) bottle of water when she visited the market with her Russian friend — almost double the price charged at regular convenience stores.
Two more stalls at Seoul’s Gwangjang Market were found to have sold 500-milliliter bottles of water for 2,000 won.
Despite offering complimentary water from a jug like a regular restaurant, the restaurant reportedly had bottles of water for tourists specifically asking for bottled water.
The stall had listed bottled water at 2,000 won on its menu, even though most officials found that other stalls inside Gwangjang Market were selling it for around 1,000 won.
The stall at the center of the controversy did not open on Monday, so officials were unable to conduct an in-person inspection. The inspector, however, confirmed that the shop's menu listed the bottled water for 2,000 won, which was charged equally to Korean and Japanese customers.
Officials said that would make it difficult for authorities to sanction the stall under the Monopoly Regulation and Fair Trade Act.
"We believe that the merchant association of the Gwangjang Market is also aware of this situation," a Jongno District official said.
Complaints of Gwangjang Market shops overcharging local customers and tourists have persisted. Last year, the market briefly faced calls for a boycott after a stall was reported to have demanded 10,000 won for sundae (Korean blood sausage) that was originally priced at 8,000 won, after mixing in meat.
![Park Jeong-bo, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, checks out Gwnagjang Market in central Seoul in January [SEOUL METROPOLITAN POLICE AGENCY]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/04/22/90bae886-34b6-423d-a43e-52b70bd42f95.jpg)
Park Jeong-bo, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, checks out Gwnagjang Market in central Seoul in January [SEOUL METROPOLITAN POLICE AGENCY]
The bottled water price controversy came despite the Small Enterprise and Market Service’s launch of an anti-overcharging campaign on March 17 ahead of the BTS concert, when many foreigners were expected to visit the country.
The merchant association at the Gwangjang Market is expected to decide on measures to prevent a repeat and deliver its conclusions to Jongno District. At a meeting on Monday attended by Seoul and Jongno District officials, some participants reportedly said the stall should be punished harshly to set an example.
Jongno District will formally begin operating a real-name registration system for stalls in June. Street vendors at Gwangjang Market operate with occupancy permits issued by the district office. If penalties related to pricing or hygiene issues accumulate to a certain level, vendors can face business suspension or cancellation of their occupancy permits. The district is currently in a guidance period ahead of the full rollout.
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 KIM MIN-WOOK [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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