Taste Korea One Bite at a Time: 5 Classic Snacks Every Visitor Should Try — and Exactly Where to Find Them

Taste Korea One Bite at a Time: 5 Classic Snacks Every Visitor Should Try — and Exactly Where to Find Them

Korea’s hangwa (traditional confections) were once reserved for palace banquets and holiday rituals. Today you can sample them in stylish cafés or pick up beautifully boxed sets as edible souvenirs. Below you’ll find five timeless favorites, the flavors and key ingredients that define each, plus tried-and-tested shops where non-Korean guests are welcomed—and where staff are used to sending treats overseas.

 

 

 

 

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1. Yakgwa (약과) – Honey-Soaked Wheat Cookies

What it tastes like Sweet and gently floral, with a chewy bite that melts into a honey-ginger finish. Think of a cross between baklava and a soft shortbread.
Star ingredients Wheat flour dough is enriched with sesame oil, honey (or rice‐malt syrup), a splash of soju, and ginger juice before being deep-fried and dipped again in warm honey syrup.

Where to try it

• Golden Piece – 25 Hannam-daero 27-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. A cult boutique that has turned yakgwa into a luxury gift: gilt-edged tins, marble counters, barista-quality coffee, and English-friendly staff. Arrive early or reserve online; daily batches often sell out.

 

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2. Gangjeong (강정) – Crispy Rice-Nut Clusters

What it tastes like Light, crispy puffs bound in glossy jocheong (grain syrup). The first crunch gives way to toasted nuts and a honeyed finish—Korea’s answer to a granola bar.
Star ingredients Glutinous-rice flour is steamed, puffed, and flash-fried, then mixed with pumpkin seeds, peanuts, black sesame, or dried fruit before being coated in syrup or honey. 

Where to try it

• Gangjeong Gongjakso – 1446 Haemajihaean-ro, Gujwa-eup, Jeju-si. A seaside café-workshop famous for rainbow-colored nut gangjeong that ships nationwide (English Instagram ordering available).
• Myeongil Hangwa – 36 Jungang-ro, Gangneung, Gangwon-do. Four generations of artisans; try the bite-size Kkoma Gangjeong endorsed by Korea’s Ministry of SMEs. 

 

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3. Dasik (다식) – Delicate Pressed-Tea Cookies

What it tastes like Feather-light disks that dissolve on your tongue, releasing understated flavors of roasted soybean, black sesame, or pine pollen. Mild sweetness makes them perfect with green tea.
Star ingredients Finely milled seed or grain powders are kneaded with honey, then pressed in carved wooden molds (dasikpan) that imprint auspicious symbols.

Where to try it

• Gohojae at Korea House – 10 Toegye-ro 36-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul (inside the traditional-arts complex near Chungmuro). A serene hanok tearoom where servers explain each cookie’s motif in English while pouring royal-court tea.

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4. Jeonggwa (정과) – Jewel-Like Candied Fruit & Roots

What it tastes like Chewy outside, softly candied within—imagine a natural gummy shot through with ginger warmth or yuzu perfume.
Star ingredients Thin slices of yuja (citron), jujube, ginger, burdock, or lotus root are slow-simmered in honey or rice-malt syrup until translucent, then air-dried for a glossy finish. 

Where to try it

• Hyojadong Dessert – Online boutique & pop-up counter (check Instagram @hyojadong.dessert). Their tasting boxes arrive vacuum-sealed with an English flavor card—ideal if you’re flying onward.

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5. Injeolmi (인절미) – Pillow-Soft Rice Cake in Nutty Powder

What it tastes like Supple, slightly sticky rice dough rolled in roasted-bean or husk-free red-bean powder that adds a toasty aroma and keeps fingers clean.
Star ingredients Freshly pounded glutinous rice, a pinch of sea salt, and a cloud of konggaru (soybean flour) or geopi pat (skinless red-bean powder). No added oil—naturally vegan and gluten-free.
Where to try it

• Dosuhyang Injeolmi – 21-4 Seolleung-ro 161-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (Apgujeong Rodeo Station exit 6). A celebrity-favorite shop making North-Korean-style injeolmi twice daily; advance reservation recommended.

 

How to Enjoy These Treats Like a Local

Pair with tea —Yakgwa loves citrus-y yuja-cha; dasik is heavenly with delicate green ujeon.
Check freshness —Gangjeong stays crisp for weeks, but injeolmi should be eaten within a day.
Gift etiquette —Boxed hangwa are appreciated host presents; choose gold or red wrapping for good fortune.

Bon appétit—or as Koreans say, “jal meokgesseumnida!” May each bite bring sweetness to your journey.