"150,000 Won Promised, But Receipt Shows 1.5 Million?"... Myeong-dong Cosmetics Store Faces Accusations of Overcharging Foreign Customers

[Financial News] The cosmetics brand THE SAEM's Myeong-dong store has come under suspicion for allegedly overcharging and pressuring foreign tourists into excessive purchases.
Recently, a Japanese visitor to Korea, referred to as A, posted on a social networking service (SNS) that, "A staff member at THE SAEM's Myeong-dong store told me a sale item was 15,000 yen (approximately 150,000 won), but when I checked the receipt at my hotel, the amount charged was 150,000 yen (about 1.5 million won)."
The post continued, "The receipt even stated 'No refunds on sale items.' I couldn't reach the Tourist Information Center, and the store wouldn't answer the phone. Since I have to return home tomorrow and am staying near Incheon International Airport, it's difficult to go back to Myeong-dong."
The post surpassed 700,000 views within a day, and comments from others who claimed to have experienced similar issues soon followed.
Similar complaints appeared on Google Reviews. Another Japanese customer, B, warned, "You must check your receipt on the spot. Sometimes, an extra zero is added to the price quoted by staff." Customer C wrote, "After returning home, I discovered that 50,000 yen (about 470,000 won) had been charged."
There were also reports of customers feeling pressured into purchases. "The salesperson was extremely forceful. Prices were 20–30% higher than buying online from the official store," one review stated. Others added, "Avoid this place. They claim to offer discounts but actually charge more," and "A staff member lied, saying I needed to buy more products to receive duty-free benefits."
A representative from The Saem Myeongdong No.1 Store responded to the '1.5 million won charge' case, stating, "We fully explained the price before the sale, and when the customer returned to request a refund, we processed it. We understand the refund was due to the customer's own misunderstanding of the amount."
The representative added, "We have kept all Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) footage and receipts, and if the review is not removed, we will consider legal action."
A staff member from the store also posted on SNS, saying, "This is extremely unfair," and emphasized, "We have never refused a refund."

gaa1003@fnnews.com Ahn Ga-eul Reporter