In the midst of the Baji controversy, where old-fashioned sweets were sold at 4,499 won for 100 grams at the Sannamul Festival in Nokyung, Gyeongsangbuk-do, saying that they were “more expensive than beef,” Kang Sung-gu, who became a “snack king” at a market in Iksan-si, Jeollabuk-do, publicly criticized the vendor, saying, “If they (the vendor) makes any more excuses, I will reveal the unit price of the sweets.

Mr. Kang made headlines in 2016 when he appeared on KBS1’s “Human Theater” as a “confectionery king” who attracted customers with his generosity of spirit and pleasant mouth.

Mr. Kang Sung-koo runs a confectionery store in Iksan Traditional Market. [Photo source=Capture from YouTube ‘KBS HUMAN: Munchle TV’].

The controversy over old-fashioned sweets began on KBS2’s “1 Night 2 Days,” which aired on April 4. When the cast went to a market in Antelope County to buy three bags of old-fashioned sweets, the vendor asked for 70,000 won for a bag, and after haggling, they bought the sweets for 140,000 won, which led to the Antelope County apologizing to the public.

Kang posted the entire episode of “1 Night 2 Days” on his Instagram and wrote, “4499 won for 100 grams, 50,000 won for 1 kilogram. Typical foolish business!” he wrote.

He continued, “A snack that sells for 1500 won for 100 grams is 4499 won for the Antelope Army Festival? The unit price is evil. “Thanks to people like this, I always make a lot of money selling 100 grams of expensive seeds for 1,500 won,” he said.

He said, “It’s not just a knife, it’s a robbery. ‘Paltu’ that sells and bounces'”.

Mr. Kang said, “You can do wrong, you can make mistakes. It’s right to apologize without making excuses.”

In response to the company’s explanation that “it was difficult to do business due to the corona, so I sold it like this,” Kang said, “In 16 years of business, I won the corona and won the recession. I sold it even if it didn’t sell, and I sold it even if it didn’t stay. Even if you lose money, (customers) will come back next time,” he said, warning, “If you make any more excuses, I will reveal the price of the sweets.”

Mr. Kang said, “We need to root out foolish business and fraudulent business. It is true that the price of sweets has increased due to the rise in inflation, but they (nutrition market vendors) do business in their own way,” he said, pointing out, “We cannot allow them to let their guard down and shamelessly take money for sweets.”

He also said, “Today is not the only day. Just as the clouds open up tomorrow, there are days when business is not good,” he said, adding, “I will take the lead until foolish, fake, and inconvenient businesses are eradicated.”

Netizens commented with words of support, such as메이저놀이터, “I thought of you as soon as I saw ‘1 Night 2 Days'” and “I’m worried that you will be harmed.”

Nutong County Government apologizes to the public, “We will establish commercial order to prevent recurrence”

A view of the Antelope County Government Office [Image source: Getty].

Meanwhile, North Gyeongsangbuk-do’s Noryang-gun issued a belated apology to the public for the controversy over the traditional market.

A representative from the Culture and Tourism Division of the Nutrition County Government posted a “Nutrition County Apology to the Public (1 Night and 2 Days of Broadcasting, Old Snack Baji Controversy)” on the county government’s bulletin board on the 6th.

“We sincerely apologize for causing the public concern,” the county said, adding, “We acknowledge that it was inappropriate to mention the incident as if it was only a problem with outside vendors in the clarification materials distributed on the 5th, and we apologize again.”

The day before, Antelope County said on its website, “The vendor who sold the old sweets for 140,000 won is an outside vendor. It has nothing to do with the vendors of the Nyangyang Traditional Market,” but it was unable to escape the blame game.

“To prevent the same thing from happening again, our military will take measures to establish a commercial order that meets the eyes of the public so that trust with the public can be preserved,” the military said. “Also, our military will take this opportunity to review not only mobile vendors, but all businesses such as traditional markets and restaurants, and do our best to be reborn as a county that the public can trust and visit.”