Korea has a wide variety of snacks and they are of all types. If you are a junk food lover or a health-conscious individual, you can find a range of products to choose from. Korean snacks come in many unique forms, so you’re bound to find something you love. This is a list of the 10 most popular Korean snacks. Honestly, this list is not enough to cover everything that I love, Korea has a lot to offer.
1. Haitai Calbee Honey Butter Chips
These are fried potato chips. The flavor is mouth-watering and it’s one of the highest-ranked snacks in Korea. It combines the taste of acacia honey and French butter. The contrast between salty and sweet supplies a unique experience. These chips are very famous and have their own cult-like following in Korea. You may see them featured anywhere from international food blogs to K-dramas.
2. LOTTE Pepero
Pepero is a thin cookie stick dipped in chocolate. They are originally available in chocolate flavor but they also have fun new flavors like: strawberry, almond, oreo, peanut, tiramisu, and white chocolate. A fun fact about pepero is that it has its own holiday referred to as Pepero Day. On Nov 11, locals celebrate by gifting these cookie sticks to their friends and relatives to show affection. They even released a line of puppy pepero so that you can show your furry friend some love on Peppero day.
3. Binggrae Banana Milk
The first drink on the list is called Banggrae banana milk. It’s highly regarded in Korea and drunk by everyone. As such, it is available in grocery stores as well as convenience stores throughout the country. It contains milk, sugar, and banana juice. It’s such a popular and widely loved drink that it is also often featured in Korean dramas. Other than banana-flavored milk, bangrrae also offers more milk products like melon, strawberry, honey, and black sesame milk. The brand is easily distinguishable by its iconic packaging. Earlier this month, they added a tiger face to the packaging to celebrate the lunar new year.
4. Lotte Chocolate Binch Biscuits
This biscuit is incredibly delicious, exquisite, delicate, – mouth-watering. They leave people in awe after tasting them. The biscuits contain thin, wafer-like cookies covered in chocolate that melts in your mouth. It’s eaten and enjoyed by both Koreans and foreigners alike. They are undoubtedly the most popular biscuit in Korea. It is the top-rated snack in Korea. Honestly, everyone should try it at least once.
5. Orion Choco Pie
Orion Choco pie is the OG famous snack in South Korea. One of the reasons why it is so popular is because of its history with mandatory military service in Korea. Many Korean men can recall getting these delicious treats during their harsh days in the military. This delicious snack contains two small layers of chocolate-covered cake with a marshmallow filling between them. Choco pie now comes in many flavors like banana, strawberry, injeolmi, and semi-sweet chocolate.
6. Nongshim Shrimp Crackers
Nongshim Shrimp Crackers are shrimp crackers that are shaped like french-fried potatoes with narrow ridges. They’re crunchy and salty in flavor. They are often baked instead of being fried, so they are considered a healthier alternative to chips. The cracker is made using shrimp that are caught within North Jeolla Province. It is such a unique and delicious snack, I recommend everyone try it at least once. For its anniversary in 2021, a new black truffle version of the snack was released which became a huge sensation.
7. LOTTE Kkokkal Corn Snack
They are available in both sweet and savory flavors, and each flavor is delicious. These Korean chips have a cone shape and are made of roasted corn flavor. They are often enjoyed by children because of the fun way you can eat them. You can stick 10 cones on the tips of your fingers and pretend they are claws before consuming them.
8. Haitai Sindangdong Tteokbokki Snacks
Tteokbokki is a Korean street food favorite, so it is no wonder the snack version is a huge hit. Tteokbokki is a spicy rice cake that is sold at every street food venue in Korea. The snack grasps the essence of the superb street food. This snack comes in a shape similar to tteokbokki and offers the same combination of sweet and spicy. The haitai snacks are sweeter than spicy but offer an addictive taste.
9. Orion Kkobuk Turtle Corn chips
These tasty snacks are shaped like tortoiseshell and consist of 4 layers of crispy, fluffy corn chips. They are corn soup flavored, creamy and sweet. Although corn soup is the most popular, they are also available in different flavors. Other options include injeolmi and chocolate churros flavor. Many of their flavors taste similar to western-style sugary cereals.
10. Bibigo Roasted Seaweed
Roasted seaweed is indeed a mouth-watering snack. The snack comes in a pouch with a single serving. Each pouch contains sheets of seaweed that are seasoned and roasted to excellence. Additionally, they’re healthy – rich in nutrients and vitamins. So for all the health-conscious individuals out there, this is for you!
Get Your Own
There are multiple websites to purchase these kinds of Korean snacks online but, I recommend myseoulbox. Myseoulbox offers almost every Korean snack and delivers them to your doorstep in beautiful packaging.
Additionally, their website offers much more than just Korean snacks. They also sell Kpop goodie boxes. Plus, they ship internationally and their shipments are usually pretty quick.
Korea is a land of amazing experiences. You can enjoy some yummy adventures, such as a venture into Korean street food, or physical activities like snowboarding.
