Yeong-cheol Burger: The Shop by Korea University Is Gone, but the Taste Lives On
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
Yeong-cheol Burger, a beloved low-cost burger stall near Korea University (고려대) famous for its 1,000-won “street burger,” is remembered after founder Lee Yeong-cheol passed away at 58 after a battle with lung cancer. Lee opened the original cart in 2000 with just 22,000 won and sold a simple sandwich of stir-fried pork, cabbage and sauce in long hot-dog style buns. He kept the price low even at a loss as a promise to students and later opened a shop and funded an annual scholarship for Korea University. When the shop closed in 2015 due to financial trouble, students and alumni raised funds to reopen it in 2016. Tributes poured in online recalling warm memories of affordable comfort food more than the taste itself. Korea University will support the funeral, install a commemorative marker on campus, and continue the “Yeong-cheol Scholarship.” Though the original storefront cannot be lined up at anymore, many people have shared home recipes online replicating the stir-fried filling—recipes include minced pork, cabbage, onion, and seasonings quickly stir-fried on high heat and served in long hot-dog buns with ketchup and mustard. (고려대: Korea University)
