When I was young, I always had a spare 500 won in my pocket for a cup of tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), a favorite snack of mine. When I had extra cash, I’d also go for some bungeoppang (fish-shaped bread filled with various ingredients), sold at 3000 won for a dozen. Back then, even elementary schoolers could easily afford street food.

Such cheap prices are long gone. “Recently, I found this bungeoppang vendor near DIS, and I was really excited because I hadn’t seen one for a long time. But it was really overpriced. I think it was 1000 won for three, so I was shocked,” said Anna Yoon in 10th grade. 

Statistics by the Korea JoongAng Daily show that inflation lies at the crux of the matter. Red beans cost 14% more now, and the overall price of ingredients rose by 47% during the pandemic. With such economic trends, many stores struggled, and some eventually closed for good. 

Merchants bear the brunt of the soaring prices. A street food vendor near DIS said, “I’ve been working [on this street] every winter for four years. The price for every single ingredient has gone up. That includes red beans, custard cream, and especially, gas. I’ve seen many quit because the high prices show no sign of coming down, but I haven’t [quit] yet because this [selling street food] earns me at least the minimum wage.”

Stricter regulations on street vendor spots drive businesses to a halt.  “Another reason why street stalls are closing down is because of strict regulations on where we can sell. I pay monthly rent to a supermarket so that I can use their parking lot. These days, though, the fees have also gone up because the market owner has her own debts,” said the merchant. Successful stalls need a location that offers access to electricity and attracts solid crowds, but these places are often hard to find or expensive. 

Even with the increase in prices, many still keep an eye out for street snacks, unable to give up the nostalgia. To help these folks, app developer Hyun-Sik Yoo created the app, “가슴 속 3천원 (3000 won in My Heart),” to guide users to the nearest vendors via GPS.

3000 won in My Heart offers two versions of the program: one for customers and another for sellers. Vendors upload their locations on a digital map, and people can then track down where their favorite stalls are or try out new stores after surfing through the price, menu, business hours, and reviews. It brings flavorful bites to hungry nostalgics and buyers to struggling merchants. 

What’s better than a walk in the winter snow with a warm paper bag full of steaming hot snacks under your arm? Sometimes, a wave of childhood nostalgia crashes down on me, and I find myself craving street food. Forget about an upsetting future without bungeoppang. Now, just download an app to find your favorite vendors.