Expand Your Snacking Horizon With These 20 Korean Favorites
Updated by Brittany Vincent
Korea is beloved the world over as a place where snacks are as delicious as they are plentiful. In 2022, an eclectic mix of treats that'll give your tastebuds a workout top our list of the best-of-the-best when it comes to Korean snacks that are salty, sweet, savory, and everything in-between. Many of these are spins on familiar foods that bring new elements you've never imagined!
Finding which Korean snacks are best for you, though, can be tough without some guidance. Never fear–we’re here to help you discover which Korean snacks will be a perfect match for your palate.
Binggrae Banana Milk
This concoction made of milk, sugar, and banana juice is incredibly popular in Korea. It's much more subtle and lighter than many flavored milk drinks, making it worth trying even if you're not a big Yoo-hoo fan.
Binggrae Samanco Ice Cream
This sweet fish-shaped ice cream is Korea's take on taiyaki: a delicious, playful waffle houses vanilla ice cream and any number of flavored jams and jellies, from strawberry to red bean paste.
Cheetos, Korean-Style
Cheetos are thought of as a purely American treat, but Korea has its own formula for these cheesy doodles.** Korean Cheetos ** are sweeter and less salty than the originals, which results in a tangier taste.
Chilsung Cider
Every country has a nostalgic carbonated drink, and for South Korea, it's Chilsung Cider . This tart, lime-flavored beverage has a crisp, refreshing taste and is a perfect match for hot summer days.
Dalgona
Netflix's “** Squid Game **” took dalgona from a local-favorite candy to worldwide fame. This simple, thin sugar snack with a toasty, toffee-like flavor and stamp in the middle has a well-known lore attached: if snackers can trim the outer portion of the candy without breaking the shape, they'll receive another for free.
Dried Squid
Dried squid is like beef jerky from an alternate universe: it's a bit chewy and savory with a seafood tinge that fans love for its briny bite. If you’re a fan of tinned fish, this one’s for you !
Calbee Honey Butter Chips
Honey butter is a very popular flavor in Korea and even extends into salty-sweet combinations, like Calbee honey butter potato chips .
Lotte Choco Pie Green Tea
Most people are familiar with the standard issue marshmallow chocolate pie, but Korean snack-makers figured out what could make it even better: a matcha-flavored crust .
Lotte Pepero Sticks
These candy-coated biscuit sticks (sometimes dappled with almonds!) are deliciously similar to the Japanese snacking staple, Pocky, but different enough to make the list as a uniquely Korean treat.
Lotte Soft Malang Cow Candy
These pillowy soft candies have a delicious milky flavor that is sweet and savory. If you're a dairy fan, these are a delectable treat that you shouldn't miss!
Lotte Waffle Mate
Honey and butter join forces once again in Lotte’s waffle mate crunchy cookies, which are somewhat reminiscent of a stroopwafel but less rich. They make a great pairing with coffee and tea in place of biscuits.
Nongshim Banana Kick
Nongshim's banana kick corn snacks are light-and-fluffy bites of—you guessed it!—banana-flavored puffed corn. Popular with young children, they even come in a chocolate-covered variety.
Nongshim Shin Ramyun
Those used to the milder Japanese varieties of ramen are in for a scorching treat with shin ramyun , which packs plenty of heat into a small package with their instant noodles.
Orion Gosomi
Most people think of tea biscuits as lightly sweet and rather plain, but Korea's traditional take on the concept, gosomi , are sprinkled with sesame, coconut, sugar, and salt for a unique and vibrant taste.
Sun Chips Hot & Spicy
You're probably familiar with Sun Chips (particularly the well-known harvest cheddar variety, if you’re American) but a **hot-and-spicy version of Sun Chips **only available in-country is a favorite among Koreans.
Pringles Butter Caramel
Pringles are typically a salty snack, but Korea’s butter caramel variation flips the chip’s flavor profile on its head. These are a love-it-or-hate-it chip for many people, with some snackers adoring the sweetness and others thinking the combo is too much.
Samjin Spicy Beef Flavored Pretzels
These pretzels are very spicy and have an underlying savory beef flavor that dazzles tastebuds with depth you'd usually not expect from a pretzel.
Samyang Fire Noodles
For real pepper-heads, Samyang's fire noodles take the shin ramyun heat to another level! These instant noodles range from 1,700 to 12,000 Scoville Heat Units (that’s jalapeno-to-serrano-pepper hot!) for the true fire-breathing snackers.
Yakgwa
Often a homemade treat, these traditional chewy-meets-flaky , melt-in-your-mouth cookies are made from a combination of honey, cheongju, sesame oil, and ginger juice and enjoyed during ceremonies, festivals, and family-focused holidays.
Yopokki Cheese Tteokbokki
Tteokbokki is one of the most popular street foods in Korea , consisting of sticky rice cakes doused in a spicy, fire-red gochujang sauce for a heat-filled, comforting on-the-go bite.
