[Report] 'Memory Prices = Market Price'... "Expected to Rise Until First Half of Next Year"—AI-driven Supply Shortage Hits Yongsan Electronics Market

"The price has changed again since just two days ago. These days, it's difficult for us to quote a fixed price," a vendor remarked.
On the 19th at Yongsan Electronics Market in Seoul, when asked about the price trend for 16GB DDR5 memory—a system memory product most sought after by both corporate and individual desktop users—a major store representative noted the upward trend, stating, "The market has definitely shifted in favor of suppliers."
The situation was similar at other shops. Several vendors waved off inquiries, saying, "We have no stock right now." Kim, a merchant who has run a business in Yongsan for over 20 years, advised, "If you don't need it immediately, don't buy it now." He added, "At the beginning of this year, the product cost less than 100,000 won, but now you have to pay 220,000 won. With so little stock available, the number of visitors to the market has dropped sharply."
Among vendors, it's common to hear that "these days, sourcing products is the real challenge." One store employee explained, "The wholesale price has more than doubled. Still, whenever we manage to get some stock, it immediately goes to fulfill backorders." Yoon, who sells PC components at the market, said, "Prices change by 20,000 to 30,000 won overnight. I expect this situation to last at least another six months, possibly until the first half of next year."
The prevalence of 'market price' listings—more commonly seen at seafood restaurants—at Yongsan Electronics Market, the so-called mecca of electronics, is tied to recent changes in the global memory supply structure. Since the start of this year, investments in artificial intelligence (AI) servers and data center expansions have increased, prompting major memory manufacturers such as Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, and Micron Technology to focus their production capacity on high-value products like High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) and server DDR5.
An industry insider explained, "Because server DDR5 and HBM offer higher margins, most of the expanded production is directed to those lines. As a result, supply for general-purpose products like PC DDR5 has become tight."
Supply adjustments are immediately reflected in prices. As local market prices in Yongsan soar, online purchase prices are also hitting new highs daily. According to data from Danawa, Samsung Electronics' DDR5-5600 16GB module, commonly used in custom PCs, averaged 67,383 won in January this year but is now trading at 227,220 won. This represents a 237% increase, meaning buyers now pay more than three times the January price. Other products show similar trends: Micron Technology's DDR5-5600 16GB module, which was 55,221 won in January, has surged to 217,280 won—a nearly fourfold (293%) increase. SK hynix's equivalent product rose from 91,593 won to 237,620 won over the same period, up 159%.
Industry experts believe this 'DRAM shortage' will not be resolved in the short term. According to TrendForce, as of the end of the third quarter, the average inventory held by global DRAM suppliers was just 3.3 weeks—the lowest level since records began. This means memory chipmakers could deplete their DRAM stock within three weeks. The industry sees this inventory decline as a signal of a semiconductor supercycle. With AI server investments increasing, major memory manufacturers are expected to continue prioritizing production capacity for HBM and server DDR5, further delaying supply for general-purpose DRAM used in smartphones, PCs, and home appliances.
This supply reallocation is directly reflected in global prices. According to Taiwanese media, global DRAM contract prices in the third quarter soared by 171.8% year-on-year, surpassing even the rate of gold price increases. Contract prices refer to the benchmark rates set when memory manufacturers supply large volumes to global set makers and module companies. As a result, industry analysts say, "We have already entered the early stages of a memory supercycle, far beyond typical price cycles."

[email protected] Jung Won-il, Lee Dong-hyuk, Lim Soo-bin Reporter