Myeongdong Cup Fruit Prices: Why Some Cups Are ₩6,000 and Others ₩10,000
Cup fruit at Myeongdong's street stalls costs ₩6,000 when it contains one or two kinds of fruit, and ₩10,000 when it contains three or more (dragon fruit is priced separately). Fresh fruit juice is also ₩6,000 for a single fruit, blended with ice on the spot so you can take it as juice or as a thicker smoothie. Cups are 20 oz, and the stall accepts cash, bank transfer, credit cards and Alipay.
What exactly does this Myeongdong street stall sell?
The whole menu fits on one sign: "Fruit Juice or Cup Fruit." You can grab a cup that has already been filled and arranged on the display counter, or ask for the same fruit to be blended into juice right there.
The stall runs four blenders. Pick your fruit and the juice gets made immediately, so changing your mind halfway through ordering doesn't slow anything down.
What catches my eye every time I walk past is actually the rack above the counter. Dish sponges shaped like watermelon, pineapple and kiwi hang in a row up there. They look like shrunken copies of what's being sold below, and I thought they were charming.
So let's start with the part that confuses people most. Same counter, same display — why is one cup ₩6,000 and the one next to it ₩10,000?
How much does cup fruit cost in Myeongdong?
The price comes down to how many kinds of fruit go into the cup. One or two kinds is ₩6,000. Three or more kinds, not counting dragon fruit, is ₩10,000. Dragon fruit is ₩10,000 even on its own.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Cup fruit — one or two kinds of fruit | ₩6,000 |
| Cup fruit — three or more kinds (excluding dragon fruit) | ₩10,000 |
| Cup fruit — dragon fruit | ₩10,000 |
| Fresh fruit juice — single fruit | ₩6,000 |
Here are the actual combinations sitting on the display counter, sorted by price. If it's your first time, you can point at this table and finish the order without saying a word.
| Price | Cup fruit combination |
|---|---|
| ₩6,000 | Watermelon, kiwi, melon, pineapple (each on its own) |
| ₩6,000 | Grapefruit + Shine Muscat grapes, grapefruit + mandarin, pineapple + kiwi, pineapple + grapefruit, pineapple + mandarin, pineapple + Shine Muscat, watermelon + mandarin, watermelon + grapefruit, watermelon + pineapple, watermelon + Shine Muscat |
| ₩10,000 | Melon + Shine Muscat + dragon fruit + pineapple, melon + Shine Muscat + dragon fruit + mandarin, melon + Shine Muscat + dragon fruit + kiwi, melon + Shine Muscat + dragon fruit + grapes |
| ₩10,000 | Dragon fruit (on its own) |
As the table shows, the ₩6,000 tier alone gives you more than ten combinations. If you're traveling on a set daily budget, you can stay in that tier and still have plenty to choose from.
The ₩10,000 cups combine melon, Shine Muscat and dragon fruit, so the color contrast is much stronger. If photos are a big part of why you're buying, that tier delivers more.
Now that the pricing makes sense, let's move on to ordering. The same fruit can reach you in two completely different forms.
Can you get fresh fruit juice as juice or as a smoothie?
Blending time decides it. The fruit goes into the blender together with ice, and about 5 seconds gives you a smoothie, while about 10 seconds gives you juice.
Say which one you want when you order. Whether you'd rather scoop it with a spoon or drink it through a straw changes the experience quite a bit.
Fresh fruit juice is ordered by picking one fruit, at ₩6,000. Mixing fruits is possible if you ask, but the taste changes and so does the price, so I don't recommend it. Taking one fruit as it is leaves less room for disappointment.
How fresh and hygienic is the cup fruit here?
Nothing is sold purely from a pre-made batch. Fruit is cut on the board and dropped into the cup in front of you, so freshness is something you can see rather than assume.
The hands doing the cutting wear plastic gloves. That's the first thing people worry about at a street stall, and here it's all out in the open, so checking takes a second.
Cups are 20 oz. That's a size you can hold in one hand and still walk comfortably through the Myeongdong street food area.
How do you pay at a Myeongdong cup fruit stall?
Payment options are wide here. This isn't a cash-only stall, so you can order even on your first day in Korea before you've exchanged any money.
| Payment method | Accepted |
|---|---|
| Cash | Yes |
| Bank transfer | Yes |
| Credit card | Yes |
| Alipay | Yes |
The QR payment board hangs right beside the price sign, so you can confirm what's accepted with your eyes before any conversation starts.
There's also a sign written in Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese saying "Give me the trash." Finish your cup on the spot, hand the empty back, and the owner disposes of it for you.
What was the kiwi cup fruit like?
I like kiwi, so I ordered the kiwi cup fruit and had it blended into juice.
It was tart with a soft texture, and that sourness is what stayed with me. This stall sells green kiwi rather than gold kiwi, so the tartness comes through more strongly — which I preferred. Gold kiwi runs the other way: less sour, noticeably sweeter.
Kiwi is high in vitamin C and dietary fiber, a well-known food for supporting immunity and digestion. That fiber helps keep things moving, so if constipation is a regular problem for you, eating kiwi more often is worth trying.
I photographed a son watching his mother enjoy her fruit. I hope you get plenty of fresh fruit and stay well through the heat. You can eat it right at the stall or carry it with you along the Myeongdong streets, so if you're visiting Myeongdong in summer, give it a try.
Frequently asked questions
How much is cup fruit in Myeongdong?
Cup fruit with one or two kinds of fruit costs ₩6,000. Three or more kinds, excluding dragon fruit, costs ₩10,000, and dragon fruit is ₩10,000 even on its own. Fresh fruit juice made from a single fruit is ₩6,000.
How do I order juice instead of a smoothie?
It depends on blending time. Around 5 seconds produces a smoothie texture, and around 10 seconds produces juice. Both are made with fruit and ice together, so tell the vendor which texture you want when you place your order.
How big is one cup?
Each cup is 20 oz. The fruit is cut on the board and packed into the cup right in front of you, so it's fresh, and the size is easy to carry in one hand while walking around Myeongdong.
Can I pay by card or Alipay?
Yes. Cash, bank transfer, credit cards and Alipay are all accepted at this stall. You don't need Korean won on hand to order, which helps if you haven't exchanged money yet on your first day in Seoul.
Where to next in Myeongdong?
Pricing rules and payment options vary from stall to stall along the same street in Myeongdong. The StreetFood category on this blog collects the stalls I've bought from and paid for myself. If you're planning a summer trip, the payment and currency exchange posts under TravelInfo are worth reading alongside this one. Which stall would you like to see next?
