Fruits are loved by many all the around the world, why wouldn't they be when they're deliciously sweet and refreshing?
However, you'd be shocked to see how expensive fruits can be for some people in their countries!
A great example would be Korea.
Every time Koreans travel abroad, they are surprised because fruits are much cheaper compared to the domestic market.
Normally, people in Korea don’t purchase fruits (과일) from department stores because they’re way more expensive compared to buying at regular markets. The best known department store would be Hyundai Department Store (현대 백화점) Supermarket.
A lot of Koreans shop for fruits at Hyundai Department Store Supermarket only for gifts (선물) or special occasions due to its high quality.
However, generally in Korea fruits are already quite expensive.
An apple is around 3,500 won ($3).
Just like how Koreans are surprised when they travel abroad (해외여행), people who travel to Korea too get shocked at the prices of fruits
A packet of blueberries (블루베리) is around 10,000 ($9) won and a packet of mangoes (2 in a packet) is 24,000 won ($21).
While some of the fruits are meant for gifts, everyone still agrees that they are quite overpriced.
Agricultural production and small farming in Korea make fruits expensive to produce and ship compared to importing from cheaper producers.
Other examples :
Melon (멜론) : 29,000 won ($26)
Pineapple (파인애플) : 5,000 won ($4)
Watermelon (수박) : 42,000 won ($37)
Bananas (바나나) : 550 won ($5)
Besides markets, people in Korea always buy fruits at EMART (이마트) or local markets because even though they’re still pricey, it’s still reasonable unlike at department stores.
Koreans like tropical fruits (열대과일) but the climate in Korea is cool with high mountains so the imported tropical fruits are often very expensive.
In contrast, fruits like strawberries (딸기) can be very cheap in Korea when they’re in season.
Were you surprised with how expensive fruits can get in Korea? We hope that this was a fun and an insightful post for you!
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