Day 24 (9.5)-The Best Things in Life Come in Small (albeit complex) Packages

Packaging is everything here. Like I mentioned in a previous post about advertising by using k-pop stars or cute characters, the same goes for food. Take a look at this super extra macaron I bought in Hyehwa

Yep, Pikachu on a macaron. He cost me about 2500 Won (about $2) while my roommate got a macaron at the same stall for only 1500 Won (about $1, you get the idea). Mine essentially cost an extra dollar for it to have Pikachu’s face. Was it worth it? Depends…Did it taste good? No. Did I pretend it did because I spent money on it? Of course. Did I get a cute photo that was Instagram-worthy? Of course = yes it was worth it.

Everything here is about the packaging like I’ve said. why buy a cookie that’s the flavor you like when you could buy one shaped like a Pokemon? People are drawn to things like this, that cute factor I’ve spoken about earlier. The thing is, it doesn’t just stop with cuteness.

Take a look at the meal I got to go with my Pikachu that afternoon.

As you can tell by my snapchat caption, cheese tteokbokki is the best, but that’s not the point here. This disk came in a sizzling-hot pan straight from the stove, and I was able to serve myself with a bowl of however much I wanted to eat. This trend is slowly catching on with American eateries, with skillets and grill-your-own pancake restaurants. The idea is, this meal is more fresh, more authentic, and more efficient than if they were to take the time to put it in a bowl after cooking.

Even the table comes pre-packaged…

This is pretty common in all Korean restaurants. Why would you bother to lay out utensils for your guests every time when you could just let them take what they need? Plus, it keeps the table attractive and clutter-free.

Packaging is a big deal here, not only as a selling tool, but also as a way to keep everything running smoothly in day-to-day life.