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Korea Herald
17-02-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Lunch prices are rising fast, but wages aren't keeping up
Finding an affordable lunch is becoming increasingly difficult for office workers in South Korea. The cost of eating out has surged over the past four years, far exceeding wage growth, and pushing more employees to rely on convenience store meals or company cafeterias. According to the Korea Consumer Agency, a bowl of kimchi-jjigae (kimchi stew), a typical go-to lunch option, cost an average of 8,269 won ($5.73) in Seoul as of December, 22.8 percent higher than in 2020. The price hike has been even steeper in cities like Daejeon, where the same dish jumped 52.3 percent over the four-year period, reaching 9,900 won ($6.87). The price of a roll of gimbap in Seoul, considered one of the most budget-friendly choices, climbed 32.7 percent over the same period, now costing 3,500 won. Dining out has become significantly more expensive overall. The price index for commonly eaten foods, including meals, coffee, and alcohol, rose 21.0 percent from 2021 to 2024 -- about 1.5 times higher than the general consumer inflation rate of 14.2 percent. The steepest increases occurred in 2022 and 2023 as food supply costs surged. Wages lag behind However, wage growth has lagged behind. South Korea's Ministry of Employment and Labor reports that the average monthly wage for employees at companies with at least one worker rose 14.9 percent between 2021 and 2024 -- barely keeping pace with overall inflation but failing to match the sharp rise in food prices. The situation is even tougher for workers at the bottom end of the pay scale, as the minimum wage increased by only 13.1 percent in the same period, from 8,720 won per hour in 2021 to 9,860 won in 2024. With lunch prices soaring, many office workers have turned to cheaper alternatives. A survey conducted in November by South Korean consumer research firm Embrain Trend Monitor found that 30.2 percent of workers now buy their meals at convenience stores or supermarkets, up from 22.0 percent in 2021. The use of company cafeterias has also grown, from 49.6 percent to 55.2 percent over the same period. Sales data from major convenience store chains reflect this shift. GS25 reported that lunchbox sales in 2024 were 3.2 times higher than in previous years, while rice ball sales rose nearly threefold. CU, another leading chain, saw sales of samgak gimbap (triangle-shaped rice balls) more than double. Despite these cost-cutting efforts, food expenses are taking up a growing share of household budgets. Statistics Korea data shows that in the first three quarters of 2024, the average urban household with two or more people spent 14.4 percent of its monthly budget -- 516,765 won -- on food. The portion spent specifically on dining out has risen from 12.4 percent in 2020 to 13.9 percent in 2022, reflecting the fact that eating out costs have climbed faster than overall inflation and income growth. As a result, meal allowances have become a major sticking point in labor negotiations. In 2024, university cleaning workers in Seoul gained public sympathy when they demanded an increase in their daily meal allowance from 2,700 won to 3,100 won. Their claim that '2,700 won isn't even enough for a single roll of gimbap' resonated with many South Koreans, leading to a successful labor agreement. The issue has also caught the attention of policymakers. At the end of 2024, an opposition-led special committee on wage protection proposed raising the monthly tax-exempt meal allowance from 200,000 won to 300,000 won to help workers cope with rising food costs. However, experts warn that only large corporations can afford to provide such benefits. Kim Jong-jin, director of the Korea Worker Institute, said, 'Low-wage workers are hit hardest by rising food prices. The government should consider tax benefits (for them) or a higher minimum wage to help them keep up.'
Korea Herald
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Unsure of your style? Book a style analyst
Personal style analysis unlocks keys to hairstyle, makeup, clothes to have you looking your best Let's be frank -- appearance matters, especially in Korea. An edgier look may help you appear more polished and attractive. It is one way politicians, big-name personalities and other elites in Korean society put their best foot forward and leave a good impression. Now, people eager to unlock the secrets to presenting their best selves are turning to so-called "personal analysis" to understand their unique features and improve their self-presentation. Indeed, a professional might offer advice that contradicts what you once thought worked for you. In the case of this reporter, I had believed my long black hair made me look well put together and attractive to most people. A cropped top or a slim-fit top, which I thought created a slimming effect, paired with baggy paints to avoid looking skinny, was my go-to look to feel confident and comfortable. But that turned out to have been a big fashion mistake. A personal analysis showed that I have a triangle body shape and a round face. To dress for this kind of body shape, I was recommended to wear halter and bateau tops that could add volume to the upper body and to refrain from wearing strapless or spaghetti strap tops. A "CS curl perm," a natural-looking combination of C and S-shaped curls that would create an illusion of a shorter face shape, was recommended. Figuring out ideal look Han Jeong-ha, who has been operating a personal color and body analysis center called ColorMui in Seoul's Dongjak-gu for over two years, is behind finding the right key to people looking their best. Han, who holds certificates in color and body shape analysis, is a personal style expert helping transform clients' looks by curating their lookbooks. She says finding the ideal look is all about finding the best line and body proportions, as well as balancing them. "Color analysis" is one tool many clients use to determine their best colors, according to Han. The analysis categorizes people into four seasons and 16 subgroups to decide which colors best fit their hair, makeup and outfit colors all by analyzing their natural color tones. In addition to color analysis, which has been trending for years, personal body analysis is currently gaining popularity, according to Han. "The concept emerged about two years ago, and a growing number of people are seeking body analysis to find a dress that matches their body type and hides problem areas," Han said. Most of the clients are women in their 20s and 30s who come for an hour-long analysis session priced at 89,000 won ($61). In a survey of 1,200 men and women between ages 13 and 69 conducted July 4-9 last year by market research firm Embrain Trend Monitor, 46.5 percent of respondents in their 20s said they had purchased some form of personal consulting services, reflecting the rising trend in young people seeking professional advice to improve their physical traits. The survey also showed that 60.5 percent of 20-something respondents gravitate toward receiving body shape analysis, while 55 percent showed interest in getting beauty consulting to find their personal color. Some 49 percent indicated interest in expert advice to improve their hairstyles. To assess which clothing style best fits a person's figure, Han measures various parts of her client's body -- height, shoulder, forearm, waist, hip and thigh, among many other areas. Based on a calculation, she categorizes her clients into six categories. If you have shoulders that are narrow in comparison to your hips, you are categorized as a "triangle" type, or a "pear" shape. If your bust and hip measurements are even, you have a "curvy" shape, or an hourglass body type, whereas an "athletic" shape, or a rectangle body type, means you are not particularly curvy. An "oval" body type refers to a figure where you are curvy through the midsection and an "inverted triangle" shape refers to a figure where the shoulders are the broadest part of the body and the hips and the thighs are narrower. A "straight" body shape is one in which the body is a straight silhouette with minimal curves. Han also measures the vertical and horizontal proportions of the face to better figure out a person's overall body shape, because the shape of the face contributes to how the entire silhouette appears. After measuring, she labels her clients into seven groups: oval, round, long, inverted triangle, square, heart and diamond. "It is a sad truth, but first impressions are pivotal. If you make a positive first impression, it often leads people to think about you favorably, and understanding what works best for you can help you better present yourself," Han noted. "This way, people do not have to get trapped in fast fashion and trends that do not suit them and, at the same time, can feel good about their appearance," she said.
