Western-style Burgers Challenge Gukbap as Lunch Prices Shift
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
In Seoul, lunch choices are changing as rising prices and convenience favor hamburgers over traditional gukbap (Korean soup with rice). Many gukbap bowls now cost over 10,000 won, while chain burgers can be cheaper and often sold with app-based smart ordering for quick pickup—appealing to time-pressed office workers coping with “lunchflation.” Nutrition experts are also reframing burgers: some say a balanced burger can be like a “Western bibimbap” (bibimbap is a mixed rice dish), and that health risks come more from side items like fries and sugary drinks than the burger itself. Industry analysts expect this shift—driven by price, digital ordering, and changing perceptions—to reshape urban lunch habits rather than remain a passing trend.
