Broadcaster Jung Joon-ha. [Herald POP (now Herald Muse) provided]
Broadcaster Jung Joon-ha. [Herald POP (now Herald Muse) provided]

A yogurt ice cream brand launched by broadcaster and entrepreneur Jung Joon-ha has sparked an online debate over its pricing.

On Wednesday, a post by an internet user who visited the pop-up store for Jung's yogurt ice cream brand at IPark Mall in Yongsan, Seoul, drew widespread attention in online communities.

The user wrote on personal social media: "I saw Jung Joon-ha in Yongsan — he was working hard selling ice cream. But it seemed like nobody knew he was there selling it, because the place was really empty. I thought about buying one, but a single cup was 7,500 won, so I bought the pudding next to it instead. Sorry."

Photos of the yogurt ice cream on sale were also uploaded alongside the post. The cup appeared small enough to fit comfortably in one hand. According to the menu, a single cup is priced at 7,500 won, with an additional 1,000 won per extra flavor. A medium cup costs 9,800 won.

Many users said the price felt steep for a single cup of ice cream. Others argued that the store's location and the nature of the product should be taken into account, and that price alone was not enough to judge. The debate over the pricing continued to draw varied reactions.

Jung had previously shared on his own channel the process of bringing the brand to South Korea. It began about three years ago during a trip to Seattle, where he tried yogurt ice cream at a local shop and became captivated by it. He spent years preparing to introduce the brand to the Korean market.

"It took three years of hard work to bring this over from Seattle," Jung said at the time. "It will also be going into department stores." He added, "This is the last one. I'm not going to open any more brands," signaling his strong commitment to the venture.

Since the store opened, familiar faces have stopped by to show their support. Yoo Jae-suk, Jung's longtime co-star on the MBC variety show "Infinite Challenge," visited the store to cheer him on, as did broadcaster Joo Woo-jae, who shared a photo from his visit.

On Sept. 20, Joo posted a photo of his visit on social media with the caption: "I'm going to enjoy Joon-ha's ice cream to the fullest."

Jung has also been showing up at the store with his wife to help sell the products himself, going beyond simply promoting the brand.

Meanwhile, Jung has long ventured into the food and beverage industry, cycling through multiple openings and closures over the years. He currently operates three stores in Gangnam. He recently drew attention on the KBS 2TV variety show "Boss in the Mirror" after revealing that his Gangnam raw fish restaurant brings in hundreds of millions of won in monthly sales.


min3654@heraldcorp.com