Seoul Jongno District Gwangjang Market's 'overcharging' controversy continues, and the YouTuber who posted the exposé video directly rebutted the merchant and the merchants' association's explanations.
Earlier, the YouTuber 'Strange Snack Shop,' who has 1.5 million subscribers, pointed out unfriendly service, food reuse and price deception in the market in a video uploaded on the 4th titled "This will make me never go to Gwangjang Market again." In the video, he revealed that he ordered a "large sundae" labeled 8,000 won, but the merchant demanded "1,0000 won because it was mixed with meat."
After the controversy spread, the merchant rebutted in an interview with Channel A on the 5th, saying, "The YouTuber asked to have the meat mixed, so I gave it that way," and "Later, he tried to tear me apart by arguing about the price." The merchant also claimed he said, "If that's the case, pay 8,000 won and leave."
In response, 'Strange Snack Shop' replied point by point in his video comments on the 6th: "You said I originally ordered an assorted sundae, so wouldn't the assorted sundae have to come out? Why did you give the basic large sundae?" and "It's not true that you asked if we wanted the meat mixed. Neither I nor my companions heard such a thing."
He stressed, "In the end, they did not mix the meat. The situation at the time is shown exactly in the video," and "I paid 10,000 won by bank transfer, and the owner confirmed the amount until the end. There was no remark like, 'If that's the case, just pay 8,000 won.'"
Regarding the Gwangjang Market merchants' association's statement that "it seems the YouTuber approached intentionally," the YouTuber said, "If that's the official position, it's very regrettable," and "The video was not intended to target a specific shop, but only to show the market's structural problems."
The YouTuber added, "Foreign tourists come to the market calling it 'the home of K-food,' so we should consider whether unfriendly service and overcharging are damaging Korea's image."
Meanwhile, last year Gwangjang Market was criticized over the '15,000 won assorted jeon' controversy, and at the time the merchants' association promised a 'fixed-quantity labeling system' and 'allowing card payments,' but critics say some shops still do not comply.
[Photo] YouTube capture
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