“I entered a dead-end alley after seeing a sign, and there’s something interesting happening – a robot making bungeo-ppang (a fish-shaped pastry filled with sweetened red bean paste).”
On Jan. 29 at 2 p.m., a 6-square-meter ‘Hyundai Bungeo-ppang’ in Seoul’s Seongsu-dong alley saw visits from three groups of customers within a 10-minute span. The shop specialized in selling small bungeo-ppang, measuring about 5cm. Despite the cramped space, occupied by both the bungeo-ppang machine and a single person, the production of bungeo-ppang proceeded without interruption. As the machine dispensed red bean paste and dough, the bungeo-ppang mold automatically shifted, resulting in freshly baked treats. A robotic arm then delicately lifted the finished bungeo-ppang, dropping it onto a tray with a distinctive ‘thud.’
Some visitors consulted maps to find the bungeo-ppang shop, while others fortuitously discovered it during a stroll through the alley. The owner generously offered mini bungeo-ppang to these passersby, encouraging them to sample the treat. The pricing was set at 3,000 won for 10 pieces and 5,000 won for 20 pieces.
The owner of Hyundai Bungeo-ppang said, “I give one to those who enter the alley, and many nearby office workers often return to make purchases later.” He explained, “Operating a different type of business in such a small and secluded space poses a significant entry barrier. However, I considered it suitable for selling bungeo-ppang exclusively through takeout orders.”
Regarding the introduction of robots to the shop, he said, “To sell at a slightly lower price, we need to reduce labor costs given the expensive ingredients. Baking bungeo-ppang manually would be challenging, but with the robots, we only need to handle packaging. This makes it less physically demanding even if we work consistently throughout the month.”
The era of robots producing bungeo-ppang has arrived, but street vendors selling bungeo-ppang are gradually disappearing from the streets. This is attributed to a downturn in customers and the difficulty for merchants to generate profits due to rising ingredient costs. According to information from the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation’s agricultural product distribution data, as of Jan. 30, the price of red beans (500g) has increased by 32.8% compared to a year ago, reaching 8,534 won. According to Korea Price Information, in the first week of January, the price of Gompyo flour (1kg) in large supermarkets is 1,840 won, similar to a year ago but up by 18.2% compared to two years ago. Additionally, CJ white sugar (1kg) has risen by 21.3% compared to the previous year, reaching 2,280 won.
At 3 p.m. on the 29th, the line of street vendors in front of Konkuk University Station was filled with pedestrians, but none were standing still, waiting for bungeo-ppang; rather, they were all hastening their steps. It took around 20 minutes before one to two groups of people bought a bag of bungeo-ppang. Some shops remained closed.
A, a vendor in their 50s selling bungeo-ppang here, remarked on the challenging business conditions, citing a decrease in bungeo-ppang vendors. They stated, “On this street alone, there’s been a rise in street food vendors either delaying their opening hours or not opening at all,” and expressed frustration, saying, “Despite operating the store for 12 hours a day, my earnings are less than working the same hours at minimum wage.” The current minimum wage for this year is 9,860 won.
He noted, “As the economy faces challenges, there is a growing discontent with illegal street vendors operating without paying rent in nearby cafes, leading to an increase in reported cases. This contributed to the decline of illegal street vendors.” He added, “These days, even cafes seem to be selling bungeo-ppang, making it less sought after elsewhere.”
A continued, “Working alone to cut labor costs doesn’t make much difference when the prices of flour, red beans, and all ingredients are increasing. I have no option but to raise the prices. However, there are not many customers to begin with, and I receive a lot of feedback that it’s expensive.” They added, “Even if bungeo-ppang doesn’t sell well, I still have to keep the gas on, and gas prices have also increased.” They were selling three bungeo-ppang for 2,000 won.
