[Anchor]
It is time for our "Friendly Economy" segment with reporter Han Jiyeon. Han, even at a glance, Malatang seems like it would be extremely high in sodium, right?
[Reporter]
Studies have shown that consuming just the solid ingredients of Malatang without the broth still accounts for 82% of the recommended daily sodium intake.
In fact, many people probably think that as long as you skip the broth, eat fewer noodles, and focus mostly on vegetables and meat, it makes for a reasonably decent meal.
However, that way of thinking is half right and half wrong.
Starting with the part that is correct, carbohydrates like glass noodles account for only about 25% of the daily recommended limit.
The real problem, however, lies elsewhere.
Namely, the sodium.
If you eat an entire bowl including all the broth, the sodium averages 5,380 mg, which is a staggering 269% of the daily limit.
The saltiest product tested was Hyangliwon Malatang, which packs more than five times the daily limit.
You might think, "Well, then I just won't drink the broth," but the solid ingredients alone are salty enough.
Even if you leave the broth behind, the vegetables, meat, and tofu have already absorbed the seasoning, meaning the sodium comes right along with them.
The fat content is no joke either, averaging 90.7% of the daily limit.
The highest was Jinhao Malatang, which reached about 176%.
Fortunately, following this investigation, 18 brands have promised to reduce their sodium and fat content.
[Anchor]
Have there also been many reports of people feeling sick after eating Malatang?
[Reporter]
Over the past five years, 552 cases of hazard information related to Malatang have been received.
Among them, 78.7% involved digestive symptoms such as heartburn and stomachaches.
Many people often felt bloated or experienced stomach discomfort after eating Malatang, and it turns out I was not the only one.
While there are 552 cases that officially made it into reports, the overall number of reports has been rising as Malatang grows in popularity.
The number of reports jumped from 38 in 2021 to 136 last year, and already reached 75 by May of this year, surpassing the figures from the same period last year.
Seven out of ten people who filed reports were in their teens and twenties, who make up the core consumer base.
Skin reactions such as allergies accounted for 13% of the symptoms.
Although the proportion is smaller than heartburn or stomachaches, it is actually much scarier.
One of the typical ingredients in Malatang that can trigger allergies is peanut sauce.
Out of 20 brands, 8 did not provide any labeling or guidance regarding peanut allergies.
While certain items designated as "children's preferred foods"—such as hamburgers, pizza, and ice cream—are legally required to display allergen information, Malatang is not included on this list.
This means someone with a peanut allergy could unknowingly finish a bowl and suffer a severe reaction.
After the Korea Consumer Agency pointed this out, the businesses that previously failed to provide notices responded that they would all improve their labeling.
Even so, if you have allergies, asking whether peanuts are included when placing your order remains the safest route.
[Anchor]
Jeonse and monthly rent prices have been in chaos lately, and now studio apartments near universities seem to be rising as well.
[Reporter]
Ahead of the fall semester, both the average monthly rent and maintenance fees for studio apartments near 10 major universities in Seoul have risen compared to last year.
Combined, the monthly average is now nearing 700,000 KRW.
Based on a deposit of 10 million KRW and a size of 10 pyeong or less, the average monthly rent stood at 625,000 KRW, up 7.7% from a year ago.
Maintenance fees also rose 10.9%, climbing from 75,000 KRW to 84,000 KRW.
When you add the monthly rent and maintenance fees together, it comes to 709,000 KRW, the highest amount recorded for this time of year since tracking began in 2019.
Looking at which university neighborhood saw the steepest increase, Seoul National University topped the list.
The average rose by a whopping 26%, jumping from 423,000 KRW last year to 533,000 KRW this year.
Ewha Womans University was the most expensive among the 10 schools, with rent and maintenance combined coming close to 870,000 KRW.
The rise in studio apartment rents is happening because villa and multi-family housing lease prices across Seoul as a whole continue to climb.
As a fallback option, one might wonder if public rental housing is easier to secure, but that is no simple task either.
During last month's recruitment for youth purchased rental housing in Seoul, more than 63,000 people flocked to secure fewer than 1,400 available slots, resulting in an overall competition rate of 46 to 1.
In particular, the Gongdeok-dong area in Mapo-gu saw over 1,600 applicants fighting for just 3 spots, pushing the competition rate up to a staggering 550 to 1.
Jeonse loans are also proving formidable.
The execution count for youth-exclusive Bumtimok jeonse housing loans dropped by over 40% last year compared to the previous year, and this trend continued through the first quarter of this year, making it difficult to escape the burden of monthly rent for the time being.
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