As a food blogger who has had the opportunity to live in both Korea and Vietnam, Wowsung often shares videos related to the differences in culture, cuisine... of the two countries. Recently, this male blogger shared interesting information comparing the buying, selling and prices of items at Korean and Vietnamese markets.
According to him, vegetables and fruits at Vietnamese markets are usually priced by weight (kg or gram) and can be easily "bargained" if you have experience in shopping.
However, fruits in Korean markets are usually priced by bunch/box/fruit or basket and cannot be bargained. The shop owner will have a price list with the number of fruits in the basket, customers just need to choose the number of fruits they like and buy.
Surprisingly, imported fruits are cheaper than domestic fruits. This is due to the harsh winter weather and temperature, which has severely affected the production of fruits and vegetables in Korea. Expensive fruits here include apples, lemons, peaches, melons, etc.
According to Wowsung, 12 yellow lemons cost 10,000 won (about 185,000 VND). Meanwhile, a bunch of peony grapes costs only 9,000 won (about 166,000 VND). This made the male blogger humorously comment: "Lemons in Korea are more expensive than peony grapes. When you come back to Vietnam, you can eat lemons."
In addition, Wowsung revealed that seafood such as shrimp, fish... are also priced by basket/piece, not by weight. Therefore, when buying, customers must carefully consider which basket has many large and fresh fish. This way of buying will somewhat limit the possibility of being late and customers will only have the option of choosing "fake goods". Because, almost every basket is mixed with large or small fish, fresh or not fresh.
Meats like beef, pork... are all measured in 근 (geun), 1 geun = 600 grams. When buying, the owner will ask the customer how many geun they want and calculate the price.
Although there are differences in the way of buying and selling and calculating prices, the common point is that the items sold at traditional markets in Korea and Vietnam are cheaper than those in supermarkets. In addition, most of the items here are fresh, sold out within the day and do not contain many preservatives.
According to Wowsung, if you come to Korea, you should try to experience going to a traditional market to feel the special atmosphere here. Walking around the market also helps tourists discover many delicious Korean snacks.
Wowsung's full name is Park Woo Sung, a Korean food blogger who has lived in Vietnam for more than 10 years. He is loved by many on social media platforms thanks to his handsome appearance, humorous personality and ability to speak fluent Vietnamese.
Wowsung's YouTube channel currently has 200,000 followers with content revolving around culinary exploration as well as comparing traditional cultural features between Korea and Vietnam. With a great love for Vietnamese food, in 2023, he opened a restaurant specializing in traditional Vietnamese dishes such as pho, grilled pork vermicelli... in Seoul and attracted many supportive diners.
