INSIGHT

Local marketplaces are the best places to tell what kinds of snacks people from a particular country enjoy. In Korea, one street snack is so popular that it regularly draws long lines at all the markets. It’s the hotteok. In Chuu’s vlog filmed at the Mangwon Market, there’s a scene where she stops and buys a hotteok. Jeju’s Dongmun Traditional Market is known for an entire alley lined with hotteok kiosks.

Hotteok is the classic Korean winter treat. It’s made by pressing a chewy dough filled with sugar and cinnamon on a griddle which is then served hot, perfect for warming your hands on a cold day. Creative variations have recently appeared, like Ssiathotteok. The snack has also gained more international attention thanks to KPop Demon Hunters and the scene where the members of Huntr/x are shown enjoying hotteok.

If you visit a Korean market during winter, make sure to visit a hotteok stall. Whether you go for the traditional version pressed until golden brown or a unique twist with special fillings, you’re guaranteed a bite of sweet happiness.

Gyeranppang can only be found in Korea during the winter months. It’s made by baking a batch of sweet batter with a whole egg on top, giving it a soft and sweet flavor. IU once made gyeranppang herself in her self-produced content. More recently, CNN selected gyeranppang as one of the World’s 50 Best Breads alongside well-known national varieties like baguettes and biscuits

Beyond the classic version, gyeranppang has been going through various upgrades. There’s a cheesy version with melted cheese and even a pizza-style creation topped with corn, ham, and tomato sauce. With so many creative recipes, it’s fun to choose what you’d like to try next. The shops that sell these pastries all feature slightly different flavor profiles as well, so sampling and comparing them as you travel can be a fun activity.

Want to try gyeranppang at its best? Head to Myeong-dong. One of Seoul’s busiest shopping districts and a must-visit spot for international travelers, Myeong-dong is lined with street food kiosks offering gyeranppang and many other treats. It’s the perfect place to try all the favorite winter snacks. If you find yourself there on your next trip, don’t pass up the chance to try gyeranppang!

In Korean dramas, there’s one familiar winter food that appears again and again. In Boys Over Flowers, it was Gu Jun-pyo trying street eomuk fishcake for the first time and being pleasantly surprised at how good it is. In Our Beloved Summer, the two main characters enjoy a cozy date over steaming eomukguk. Eomuk is a Korean-style fishcake made by mixing white fish meat with flour, molding it into various shapes, and cooking the mixture in hot broth. It’s typically skewered and kept in the broth so it stays hot, and people often sip the steaming soup from a paper cup to warm their hands and bodies on cold days. Depending on the region, you can also find variations like spicy red eomuk that has a bit of a kick.

Busan is Korea’s largest eomuk producer, with a rich variety of fishcakes that are of exceptional quality. Some shops even make eomuk only from fish meat without using any flour, resulting in a more flavorful taste. At the Eomuk Alley at the Bupyeong Kkangtong Market, steam rises from endless rows of fish cake stalls even in the coldest winter months. It’s a great spot to enjoy all sorts of local street food and experience Busan’s unique atmosphere.

Winter in Korea is full of delicious street snacks waiting to be discovered. If you want to taste the foods you’ve seen in K-content, be sure to visit the places introduced here. If you were to travel to Korea this winter, which snack would you like to try first?