A rice cake shop in Gyeonggi Province stirs controversy on social media after photos show freshly made garaetteok being cooled on trays in a busy parking lot, with vehicles parked just inches away.

Image not related to the article. [Image generated with AI]
Image not related to the article. [Image generated with AI]

Photos of freshly made garaetteok — long white Korean rice cakes — being cooled on trays propped against parking wheel stops in a busy lot have gone viral, drawing sharp criticism online. A nearby rice cake shop is believed to be responsible.

The images, posted Wednesday on the social media platform Threads, show a scene spotted recently at a rice cake shop in Gyeonggi Province and have attracted widespread attention from internet users.

In the photos, several plastic trays filled with what appear to be freshly extruded white garaetteok are lined up across an outdoor parking lot floor. The trays are propped on wheel stops to allow air to circulate underneath — apparently part of the cooling process before the rice cakes are packaged.

The problem, critics say, is that the location sees frequent vehicle traffic. In one photo, a car is visibly parked in reverse directly in front of the trays.

The trays were also reportedly spread out in gaps between parked vehicles and in front of an outdoor air conditioning unit.

The person who posted the photos said they had seen the practice twice while stopping nearby to buy coffee. "There was even one day when the parking spaces were blocked off so no one could park," they wrote.

"I'm worried the rice cakes are being coated in exhaust fumes," the poster added. "As someone who has bought rice cakes there and given them as gifts to family, I'm completely taken aback."

They also noted seeing people smoking near the vehicles. "I'm not sure why no one passing by raised any concerns," they wrote.

Other users who saw the post echoed the alarm, with comments including "This should be reported as a food hygiene violation," "They should dry them inside the store or kitchen even if it's inconvenient," and "Rice cakes are sticky — dust must cling to them easily."


jshan@heraldcorp.com