The article highlights the ongoing abalone season in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, bringing significant cost savings to consumers. The budget-friendly prices range from 245,000 VND to 320,000 VND per kilogram, which is a third of the price found in official imported seafood stores. However, there's ongoing debate among industry professionals about the source of the less expensive abalone, with some suggesting it might be lower-quality Chinese abalone, rather than the stated Korean abalone. This controversy stirs discussions around the production practices and quality attributes of the less expensive abalone, contrasting it with the higher-priced Korean abalone known for its superior quality and longer rearing period.