As of last year, more than 1,000 students have been taking advantage of the “1,000 won breakfast” service every day. To meet the enthusiastic responses Korea University (KU) has started offering this service at the university dormitories starting this semester. It is reported by P&P News that after visiting the student center cafeteria on March 5 and listening to the students’ economic hardships, KU’s president Kim Dong-One has promised to increase the number of daily meals up to 200 portions on a first-come-first-served basis during morning breakfast hours.

While the initiative has proved to be positive and beneficial to KU students, it has not escaped minor criticism. A master’s student living in the dormitories mentioned, “There is nothing bad to say about the 1,000 won breakfast, but I would like to point out the difference in quality and quantity between the breakfast served at dormitories to the ones served at the main campus.” Indeed, the breakfast at the Student Union Building Cafeteria includes black rice, beef shabu soup, bulgogi, sweet pumpkin croquettes, and salad. In stark comparison, the one served at the dormitory cafeteria only offers either a small cup rice with oat milk or an orange and a triangle gimbap.