Korean sweets occupy a unique space between confectionery and snack food. These six are widely available in the UK and range from the nostalgic to the genuinely surprising.
Korean Confectionery Is Its Own Thing
Korean sweets do not neatly fit into Western categories. Some are ancient — honey-soaked cookies from the Joseon dynasty. Others are hyper-modern snack innovations that go viral overnight. What they share is a tendency towards texture: chewiness, crunch, and the interplay between the two. If you have only encountered Korean sweets through the odd imported Choco Pie, you are missing out on a surprisingly deep category.
The Classics
**Lotte Choco Pie** is Korea's answer to the wagon wheel — a soft sponge cake sandwich with marshmallow filling, coated in chocolate. It was launched in 1974 and remains a cultural institution. The texture is softer and more pillowy than British equivalents, and the chocolate coating is thinner. A box of twelve disappears alarmingly fast. **Pepero** are thin biscuit sticks dipped in chocolate — Korea's version of Pocky. November 11th is Pepero Day in Korea (11/11 looks like four Pepero sticks), and boxes are exchanged like valentines. The original chocolate flavour is the best.
Traditional Korean Sweets
**Yakgwa** are deep-fried honey cookies that date back centuries in Korean cuisine. They are dense, chewy, and soaked in honey and sesame oil — utterly unlike any biscuit you have had before. Samlip's version is a good introduction and keeps well. **Chapssaltteok** is Korea's version of mochi — chewy rice cake filled with sweet red bean paste. CJ's frozen version is widely available and best eaten slightly thawed, when the outer layer is soft and stretchy.
Modern Hits
**Haitai Honey Butter Almonds** caused a literal shortage in Korea when they launched — people were buying them faster than they could be produced. The combination of salted almonds with a sweet honey-butter coating is absurdly moreish and has since been copied by dozens of brands. **Lotte Matcha Latte Candy** is a smooth, creamy hard sweet with genuine matcha flavour — bitter and sweet in equal measure. Both make excellent desk snacks and gifts.
Where to Find Them
All six are available on Amazon. For the widest selection of Korean sweets, HMart's online shop or a visit to their London store is the best option. Japan Centre also stocks a good range. Many Korean sweets make excellent gifts — they are attractively packaged and unfamiliar enough to be interesting without being challenging.
K-Food → Listicle
6 Best Korean Sweets You Can Buy in the UK
From choco pies to rice cakes, the best Korean confectionery in Britain.
All six are available on Amazon. For the widest selection of Korean sweets, HMart's online shop or a visit to their London store is the best option. Japan Centre also stocks a good range. Many Korean sweets make excellent gifts — they are attractively packaged and unfamiliar enough to be interesting without being challenging.
Haitai Honey Butter Almonds caused a literal shortage in Korea when they launched — people were buying them faster than they could be produced. The combination of salted almonds with a sweet honey-butter coating is absurdly moreish and has since been copied by dozens of brands. Lotte Matcha Latte Candy is a smooth, creamy hard sweet with genuine matcha flavour — bitter and sweet in equal measure. Both make excellent desk snacks and gifts.
03
Traditional Korean Sweets
Yakgwa are deep-fried honey cookies that date back centuries in Korean cuisine. They are dense, chewy, and soaked in honey and sesame oil — utterly unlike any biscuit you have had before. Samlip's version is a good introduction and keeps well. Chapssaltteok is Korea's version of mochi — chewy rice cake filled with sweet red bean paste. CJ's frozen version is widely available and best eaten slightly thawed, when the outer layer is soft and stretchy.
02
The Classics
Lotte Choco Pie is Korea's answer to the wagon wheel — a soft sponge cake sandwich with marshmallow filling, coated in chocolate. It was launched in 1974 and remains a cultural institution. The texture is softer and more pillowy than British equivalents, and the chocolate coating is thinner. A box of twelve disappears alarmingly fast. Pepero are thin biscuit sticks dipped in chocolate — Korea's version of Pocky. November 11th is Pepero Day in Korea (11/11 looks like four Pepero sticks), and boxes are exchanged like valentines. The original chocolate flavour is the best.
01
Korean Confectionery Is Its Own Thing
Korean sweets do not neatly fit into Western categories. Some are ancient — honey-soaked cookies from the Joseon dynasty. Others are hyper-modern snack innovations that go viral overnight. What they share is a tendency towards texture: chewiness, crunch, and the interplay between the two. If you have only encountered Korean sweets through the odd imported Choco Pie, you are missing out on a surprisingly deep category.