Ulleungdo has once again been caught up in a 'rip-off' controversy. Recently, in Ulleungdo, known as the 'worst travel destination' due to its so-called 'fatty pork belly,' excessive taxi fares have arisen from routes different from what was expected.
On the 30th, a video titled 'I came to Ulleungdo alone somewhat prepared, is this right?' was uploaded to the YouTube channel 'Woongei' which has about 740,000 subscribers.
The YouTuber captured the process of taking a taxi to a restaurant in the video. While traveling, they checked the route, distance, and estimated fare using a mobile map app. The distance displayed on the app was about 17 km, with an estimated fare of around 23,000 won.
However, the taxi driver began to drive in the opposite direction of the expected route. When the YouTuber asked, 'Aren't you supposed to go the other way?,' the driver replied, 'No.' The fare charged after arriving at the destination exceeded 50,000 won.
Just before getting out, the YouTuber asked the taxi driver, 'Are taxi fares in Ulleungdo normally this expensive?' The driver responded, 'In Seoul, the fare increases by 100 won, but here it increases by 1 won,' and added that 'Ulleungdo taxis are actually considered cheap.'
Later, while eating at the restaurant, the YouTuber stated, 'I took a taxi here. But you're going the other way. It's not possible to go faster in the opposite direction,' noting, 'Since it's my first time in Ulleungdo, I wanted to have a look around, but if you ever come to Ulleungdo, make sure to check the taxi carefully before getting in.'
As this information was revealed through the YouTube video, the controversy over 'Ulleungdo rip-off taxis' spread across various online communities and social media. Reactions included, 'Following the issues with fatty pork belly and the air-conditioning malfunction at the accommodation, now it's the taxi, which is ridiculous,' and 'At this point, it seems everything should fail for them to realize their mistakes,' and 'Just don't go to Ulleungdo if that's the case.'
Earlier, on the 19th, a travel YouTuber with 550,000 subscribers, who goes by the name 'Kkujun,' posted a video where they ordered a serving (120g) of pork belly for 15,000 won at a meat restaurant in Ulleungdo, which led to controversy due to more than half of the meat received being fatty. Ulleung County issued a business suspension for the restaurant involved in the fatty pork belly controversy from the 25th to the 31st.
In a broadcast, the owner of the restaurant featured in Kkujun's video stated, 'It was my oversight,' explaining, 'I had gone to the hospital that day, and while I was gone, it seems an employee cut some meat set aside.' (The cut of meat) is from the front leg, which was set aside for stew.'
In another accommodation used by Kkujun, the air-conditioning system did not work, yet the owner did not take any action or even apologize. The YouTuber pointed out that the lodging fee was 90,000 won, which is relatively expensive compared to similar lodging fees in large cities, which range from 40,000 to 50,000 won.
As the debate over the 'fatty pork belly' spread, the mayor of Ulleung County posted a statement on the official Ulleung County website on the 22nd, saying, 'We express our deep sense of responsibility and sincere apologies regarding the overall quality and pricing issues related to tourism services that have been brought to light through online platforms.'
Mayor Nam stated, 'Although there are practical difficulties in improvements due to high prices caused by the geographical characteristics of being an island, a concentration of peak season visitors, and a lack of skilled personnel, I am also well aware that this cannot be an excuse for unreasonable pricing or unkind service.' He also conveyed that 'We will establish strong and continuous improvement measures to ensure that such incidents do not occur again as a fundamental issue that must be improved.'