The representative food stall village 'Squid Night Market' in Sokcho, Gangwon Province, has come under scrutiny again due to allegations of 'overcharging' following complaints of unfriendliness.
On the 8th of this month, a post titled 'I got really angry at the Squid Night Market' was published on the Sokcho City Hall's website bulletin board.
The author, a person surnamed A, wrote, "I heard that 'squid has been caught in abundance and prices have gone down,' so I went to the squid night market with friends, expecting to eat delicious squid at a good price."
However, at the site, merchants said, "These days, squid are rare," and demanded 28,000 won for one squid, stating they do not sell just one squid. In the end, A said, "I regretted the time and effort spent getting there, so I bought two for 56,000 won."
A further noted that the merchant persistently encouraged additional orders while dining. A expressed, "I hadn't even had a few bites when he said, 'Aren't you going to order more?' 'Aren't you going to drink more alcohol?' 'You should take care of your own moist tissues,' and when I asked for more dipping sauce, he grumbled, 'What dipping sauce for something you won't order more of?' I was so annoyed that I just got up and left."
He added, "Just to check, I went to a nearby sashimi restaurant in front of the night market, and it was 20,000 won for two squids plus complimentary sashimi," and posted comparison photos as well. He questioned, "Is it right to leave the 56,000 won squid and unfriendly merchants as they are?"
The published photos show squid sashimi that appears rather deficient compared to the price. In contrast, the squid sashimi priced at 20,000 won from a nearby restaurant was comparatively substantial, catching attention.
Earlier, in June, there was controversy when an employee at the night market made rude comments to a YouTuber who visited alone, saying, "Hey girl, you can't eat here," and "Hurry up and eat," causing public outrage as it came shortly after the food was served. The establishment has been suspended from business from the 8th to the 31st of this month.
Gangwon Province has designated the period until the end of this month as the 'Special Measures Period for Price Stability at Tourist Spots in Vacation Season' and is conducting price and service checks targeting accommodation facilities and restaurants. Victim cases can be reported to the provincial call center (120 without area code), and staff from the relevant town or district will respond on-site within 30 minutes.