Korean snacks are trending abroad. As overseas consumers aiming for healthy lifestyles are becoming more interested in gluten-free products, Korean traditional snacks as well as snacks made of rice are drawing attention. There are various types ranging from Hangwa (Korean traditional sweets), rice crackers, rice crispy pancakes, and Tteok (rice cakes), to nurungji (scorched rice). We’ll introduce delicious Korean snacks, sweets, and desserts, imagining how overseas consumers enjoy Hangwa and Tteok with coffee. 

# Korean Sweets, Hangwa
‘Health’ becoming the core of the global snack trend is a reason Korean snacks are attracting attention. Korean snacks, especially traditional ones, are classified as plant-based snacks because grains are the main ingredient. One of the most popular traditional snacks is Hangwa. They include Yakgwa (honey cookie) made by kneading flour with sesame oil and honey, then frying it in oil; Yugwa (deep-fried sweet Tteok) made by soaking glutinous rice flour kneading, steaming, and drying, and then coating it with honey, sesame, beans, nutty grains, various powders, etc.; and Gangjeong (sweet rice puffs) made by mixing baked or fried rice with starch syrup.

Aroohwa and Dammijung are the companies specialized in producing Hangwa such as Yakgwa, Yugwa, and Gangjeong. Also, Sandullhae is taking the lead in popularizing Korean sweets by promoting ‘Baked Yugwa’ made from glutinous rice.

In addition, there are many processed foods made from rice. Among them, Chungo’s products stand out: organic purple sweet potato rice snack and organic pumpkin rice snack, made by mixing 97% rice with purple sweet potato and sweet pumpkin powder and roasting them. In addition, Ivenet’s Grain Friend, which specializes in children’s food used a total of 8 Korean produced grains including rice and added calcium, a nutrient that helps growth and development. Jeonbyeong (crispy pancake) is also a snack enjoyed by many Koreans. ShinHwaDang’s uniqueness is that it makes Jeonbyeong with rice, serve Jeonbyeong made of Korean rice such as Almond Jeonbyeong, Green Gim Jeonbyeong, and Black Sesame Cookies. Famous for its Choco Pie, Poongnyeon Bakery, is also part of Jeonbyeong gift set which is abundant in sesame seeds, ginger, peanuts, and green laver in its products.

# From Sticky Tteok to Dessert Tteok
‘Tteok’ cannot be left out when it comes to Korea. Overseas consumers who are not familiar with chewy texture are also attracted to this chewy texture. This is thanks to Tteokbokki, which is gaining popularity all over the world, and Garaetteok (Tteok stick) is the origin of this Tteokbokkitteok. Garaetteok is a round, long white Tteok. Tteok thinner and shorter in length than Garaetteok are Tteokbokki-tteok, and Tteok cuts diagonally are used for Tteokguktteok (Tteok soup). Dried Garaetteok is sometimes eaten roasted, and dipping it in honey will give the essence of the crunchy outer and moist inner. Gukminssaltteok’s ‘Roasted Rice Garaetteok’ is the main brand.
There are various types of Tteok in Korea, such as Chapssaltteok red beans, Injeolmi with bean flour, Kkultteok made with honey or sugar, and Songpyeon with soybeans and stuffing made into a half-moon shape. Saimdangfood produces a variety of Tteok products such as glutinous Tteok, Injeolmi, and Tteok soup. Its brand is ‘Gomesiru’, which is a combination of ‘gome’ meaning the best ingredients and ‘shiru’ meaning Korean traditional bowls. Gosurok is famous for Mosi (ramie) songpyeon. Gosurok uses directly grown ramie as a raw ingredient for Tteok, applying the non-hardening Tteok manufacturing technology developed by the Rural Development Administration of Korea. As a result, the chewiness of tteok is preserved even if refrigerated or thawed after freezing. Cheongsachorong is famous for its dessert tteok. It produces regular ChapssalTteok and fruit glutinous tteoks made with Korean fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, and melons. Saimdangfood is also entering dessert tteok market by making strawberry fresh cream cake, ChapssalTteok, and Nutella cacao Injeolmi.

# Snacks made with Laver and Barley
What are other traditional Korean snacks? Gimbugak (laver chips) is opening a new horizon for the Korean snacks. It rose to popularity when a TV program aired Hwasa of Korean girl group Mamamoo eating it deliciously. To make Gimbugak, glutinous rice paste is applied to Gim, dried, and fried in oil. It is savory yet salty, so once you get your hands on it, you can’t stop. Seaworld Co., Ltd. produces not only Gimbugak but also Hwangtaebugak (dried pollack chips), Kkotgebugak (crab chips), etc., and seasons them with deep sea water to preserve the original taste of the raw ingredients. In addition, there are also Dongwon Yangban's Gimbugak and Bibigo's Original Gimbugak.
Nurungji (scorched rice) is one of Korea’s representative snacks. It is rice stuck to the bottom of a rice cooker, and Koreans have dried it to eat it as a snack. These days, Nurungji is also sold in the market as a snack substitute. Sungchan Food is introducing crispy and savory nurungji through the modern traditional cast iron cauldron method. In addition, Daesang ChunJungOne’s global brand ‘O’Food’ has launched Gimbugak ‘O’Food Gim Chips’ and ‘O’Food Nurungji’ to meet the tastes of overseas consumers. Both products have been certified for vegan and gluten-free.

Rice pudding is also worth trying. Yeniqueenz sells whipped cream rice pudding with a high content of whipped cream. They are 100% gluten-free products with 5 types including ‘scooping strawberry rice pudding.’ There are also snacks made with barley and not rice, represented by BoriGeonppang (barley hardtack). Geonppang is a type of baked and dried bread, and Bori Geonppang adds Korean barley flour to the dough. Geumpung Confectionery is the top seller of Bori Geonppang on Coupang, a Korean e-commerce company. Established in 1995, it has also obtained a patent in korea for Hongsam (red ginseng) Geonppang made of red ginseng, a local specialty. Hongsam Geonppang soaked in milk is very delicacy too.