{"id":262737,"date":"2026-05-30T14:59:49","date_gmt":"2026-05-30T05:59:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tenbizt.com\/en\/news\/uncategorized\/2026\/05\/30\/is-half-price-king-crab-a-scam-a-seafood-expert-tests-the-truth\/"},"modified":"2026-05-30T14:59:49","modified_gmt":"2026-05-30T05:59:49","slug":"is-half-price-king-crab-a-scam-a-seafood-expert-tests-the-truth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tenbizt.com\/en\/news\/food\/2026\/05\/30\/is-half-price-king-crab-a-scam-a-seafood-expert-tests-the-truth\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Half-Price King Crab a Scam? A Seafood Expert Tests the Truth"},"content":{"rendered":"

Translation result.<\/p>\n


\n<\/figure>\n

What if you could enjoy king crab \u2014 one of the most coveted and expensive seafoods \u2014 for roughly half the usual market price? With more online shops pushing \u201chalf-price\u201d king crab deals, shoppers are left wondering whether the savings are smart or too good to be true. Seafood expert and YouTuber behind the channel ‘Ipjil’s Memories TV (jiminTV)’ bought a half-price king crab online and carried out a hands-on, meticulous inspection.<\/p>\n

\n
\n King crab bought online. \/ YouTube ‘Ipjil’s Memories TV (jiminTV)’
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Kim Ji-min, the operator of ‘Ipjil’s Memories TV (jiminTV)’ and a seafood specialist, purchased a steamed blue king crab advertised at \u20a959,900 per kilogram (about $44.93\/kg) \u2014 roughly a 3 kg (\u2248 6.6 lb) specimen, priced around half typical retail. With free shipping included, the total cost was about \u20a9180,000 (\u2248 $135.00). Online vendors usually label species as red, blue, or brown; most king crab currently on the market are seasonal blue king crab. Red is the most expensive variety, while brown is the cheapest but tends to show large quality variation, so it\u2019s not usually recommended. Also, king crab rarely appears as a single 1 kg individual; for two people, Kim suggests ordering 2\u20132.5 kg (\u2248 4.4\u20135.5 lb), and for three people, 3 kg (\u2248 6.6 lb) or more.<\/p>\n

\n
\n Kim Ji-min, operator of the YouTube channel ‘Ipjil’s Memories TV (jiminTV)’ and seafood expert. \/ YouTube ‘Ipjil’s Memories TV (jiminTV)’
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Steaming seafood inevitably causes weight loss as blood drains and moisture evaporates. Top-grade live seafood typically loses 20\u201325% of its weight; ordinary king crab usually sees 30\u201335% loss. Individuals that died and filled with seawater can lose as much as 40%. The online product page promised 20\u201330% weight loss and an 85% meat-yield guarantee, but when Kim weighed the delivered crab, it was only 1.75 kg (\u2248 3.86 lb). That\u2019s about a 40% drop \u2014 higher than advertised \u2014 and understandably disappointing.<\/p>\n

Opening it up revealed a surprising turnaround in yield and taste<\/h3>\n
\n
\n The king crab purchased online. \/ YouTube ‘Ipjil’s Memories TV (jiminTV)’
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Still, the meat yield and flavor delivered a pleasant surprise. The crab arrived intact, with no missing legs. When they cut a leg to inspect the cross-section, the meat filled 85\u201390% or more of the shell \u2014 an excellent yield<\/u>. It lacked the overly salty taste often found in specimens that died in tanks, which happens when seawater soaks into the flesh. This product appeared to have been removed from the water either before death or immediately after and then steamed, so it tasted sweet and savory rather than briny. Both the body meat and claw meat were moist and plentiful.<\/p>\n

Is it really cheaper than Noryangjin Fish Market?<\/h3>\n

Whether this online price is reasonable compared with the Noryangjin Fish Market in Seoul depends on market conditions. On the day of filming, retail prices at Noryangjin listed seasonal blue king crab \uc120\uc5b4 at \u20a945,000 (\u2248 $33.75) per kg and live specimens at \u20a980,000\u2013\u20a990,000 (\u2248 $60.00\u2013$67.50) per kg. At wholesale auction prices early in the morning, \uc120\uc5b4 with a 70\u201380% yield sold for \u20a938,000 (\u2248 $28.50)\/kg, \uaf2c\ubb3c\uc774 (recently vigorous before death) for \u20a949,000 (\u2248 $36.75)\/kg, and A-grade live crab ranged from \u20a965,000\u2013\u20a984,000 (\u2248 $48.75\u2013$63.00)\/kg. If you average \uc120\uc5b4 at \u20a950,000\u2013\u20a955,000 (\u2248 $37.50\u2013$41.25)\/kg, the online price of \u20a959,900 (\u2248 $44.93)\/kg is slightly above market levels.<\/p>\n

\n
\n The king crab bought online. \/ YouTube ‘Ipjil’s Memories TV (jiminTV)’
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

However, when you factor in the time, transportation, and fuel costs of visiting the market \u2014 plus the seller\u2019s free shipping \u2014 buying online can be a solid option. Compared with tourist-area restaurants in places like Sokcho, where king crab can retail for \u20a9120,000\u2013\u20a9130,000 (\u2248 $90.00\u2013$97.50)\/kg, the online price really is about half. Still, if market prices crash temporarily, the perceived value of the online deal can drop.<\/p>\n

How to avoid getting ripped off when buying online<\/h3>\n

To buy king crab online without regrets, Kim recommends checking at least 10 reviews for the seller and verifying key details on the product page. She emphasized confirming the weight-selection method, whether the crab showed movement right before death (‘\uaf2c\ubb3c\uc774’), the exact species (red\/blue\/brown), the disclosed weight-loss rate, any note about leg loss (\uc808\uc9c0), and whether a meat-yield guarantee is provided. If two or more of these items are unclear or missing, it\u2019s safer to skip that seller.<\/p>\n

\n
\n Cooked king crab bought online. \/ YouTube ‘Ipjil’s Memories TV (jiminTV)’
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Reheating steamed king crab in a steamer can dry the meat. To keep it moist, place enough water in a pot so the crab is partially submerged (about one-third to one-half underwater), set the shell facing down, and boil on high for 3\u20135 minutes. For a butter-roasted finish, brush the crab with a mix of butter, minced garlic, salt, sugar, pepper, acacia honey, and parsley, then air-fry at 200\u00b0C (\u2248 392\u00b0F) for 8 minutes for a tasty result. Use leftover meat and innards for fried rice or Chinese-style crab dishes.<\/p>\n

Kim said she would repurchase this product if she needed an easy, crowd-pleasing dish for a housewarming and couldn\u2019t travel to buy crab herself. She also urged sellers to honor promised meat-yield guarantees and weight standards honestly so consumers can buy seafood without worrying about scale tricks or haggling.<\/p>\n