Are you curious about what kind of snacks are popular in Korea? You'll find many Korean snacks come with a combination of salty, sweet, and spicy flavors. Some have flavors that are familiar but with a Korean twist, and others are totally different from typical American snacks.
That's why we went on the hunt for the top 10 best Korean snacks on the market. Orion's Choco Pie won our top prize because it's delicious, is made without preservatives, and comes in convenient packaging. Don't forget to check out the other suggested products in our top 10 list, and if you don't know how to choose, read our buying guide to find out what you need to know before deciding.
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The products and services listed are ranked independently by the editorial team based on 10 Best Korean Snacks (as of 11-04-2022).
Table of Contents
In this section, you'll find a lot of useful information on how to choose a Korean snack that matches your preferences.
You'll find familiar items like potato chips, chocolate, cookies, and nuts in Korean snacks, though they may be available in different flavors (more on that later). However, there are other popular Korean snacks that you should try, too!
If you're looking for sweet snacks, we highly recommend you try chocolate pies and rice cake pies. Both types are coated with chocolate and filled with marshmallow. Although most brands offer a chocolate flavor, you can find banana, green tea, strawberry, orange, and many other flavors as well.
As far as salty snacks, seaweed and crispy rice are two Korean snacks that you shouldn't miss! They come in many flavors and spice levels. If you like potato chips, try two-in-one seaweed and crispy rice snacks since they offer a similar texture to potato chips.
Sweet potato and chocolate-covered sunflower seeds are delicious yet nutritious snacks. They're packed with antioxidants and fiber. Dried squid is a very popular snack for Koreans of all ages. It's also widely enjoyed as an accompaniment to alcohol.
While flavors like salt, barbecue, and sour cream may be familiar chip flavors for Americans, Korean snacks veer more towards flavors like shrimp, cheese, and corn soup.
If you crave something sweet then chocolate, banana, sweet potato, and honey-butter are must-try flavors. You can find these combinations in many types of snacks, including biscuit sticks, mini cakes, chips, and nuts.
Seasonal flavors make a great option for someone who wants to try unique tastes for each season. You can find many snacks with persimmon flavor in fall and cherry blossom flavor in spring. Additionally, seasonal products usually come in beautiful packaging, making them perfect souvenirs and gifts.
When we think of Korean foods, we can never forget kimchi. Kimchi is a staple in Korean cuisine that many people do eat every day. It's made from salt, fermented vegetables, and red peppers. This combination leads to great balance flavors of salty, sour, and spicy.
If you like barbeque flavor, bulgogi is a flavor that you shouldn't miss. It's a Korean barbecue flavor that is mainly made from soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, sesame oil, and black pepper. Thus, it offers you a smoky flavor with a hint of sweetness.
Tteokbokki or stir-fried rice cake is a traditional Korean street food dish. It's popular in winter because it has sweet, salty, and spicy flavors. If you're looking for a rich umami flavor with a medium to hot spice level, tteokbokki will not disappoint you.
Don't miss out on bulduk if you want to go one step further in spicy snacks. It's a spicy chicken flavor that is made from cheongyang chili pepper, which has an intensity of 10,000 Scoville heat units! Samyang spicy chicken instant ramen noodles are an example of the taste.
Speaking of spice, Koreans love it. When choosing spicy snacks, it's a good idea to be honest about the spice level you can handle. Checking customer reviews is one way to know the taste and the spice level of snacks.
If you think you can only handle mild spice, we suggest you avoid tteokbokki and bulduk because these flavors have medium to hot heat levels. Instead, choose kimchi or other flavors that have a sweetness to them. The sweetness can help to neutralize the spice levels.
$6.95
These chocolate-covered mini sponge cakes with marshmallow cream filling are loved by both children and adults. They're made without preservatives or artificial colors. Each piece is individually wrapped, making them a convenient option for taking on the go, too!
Some reviewers complained that they didn't have a fresh taste or were dry. But overall, most reviewers are happy with the crispy outside and soft, chewy filling, and like that they're not overly sweet. A few people suggested heating them briefly in the microwave!
$9.80
Honey Butter has a similar taste and aroma to buttery popcorn. These potato chips are thin, crispy, and made with real potatoes. They're mixed with real honey and creamy French butter, creating the right balance of sweet and salty tastes.
Some people said they're light and pair well with Dr. Pepper, an idea that came from the game Mystic Messenger.
Others said they're not greasy and not overly sweet. They like the fact that the flavors are not overwhelming and the taste of potato remains. The packaging size is perfect for individual servings; however, some wish they came in a bigger size for the whole family.
$4.99
These crispy biscuit sticks are coated or filled with different flavors including green tea, chocolate, dark chocolate cookie, and vanilla cookie. The look of Pepero is similar to Japanese Pocky, but Pepero has a sweeter taste, larger size, thicker coating, and more filling.
Many reviewers agreed that they're crunchy and delicious. They also said the ratio of almonds and cookies to chocolate comes in a perfect proportion. The most popular flavor seems to be white chocolate cookies. Many people said they taste just like Hershey's cookies and cream bars.
$9.30
These corn puffs have a similar texture and shape to cheese puffs. They're light, fluffy, and crunchy and have a mild taste and subtle scent of bananas.
$8.79
These almonds are lightly coated with a honey butter seasoning powder that still gives you almond flavor in every bite. Plus, they come in resealable packaging, making it easy for storage and carrying around.
Some reviewers said this product is the best snack they've ever tried. They said the almonds are high-quality and have a fresh taste. Others like that they come with the right amount of sweetness. From reading the reviews, it seems that quite a few people are addicted to them!
$8.59
They're crunchy, puffy, and each chip has four layers coated with seasoning. These chips have the same taste and smell as creamed corn.
Some reviewers complained that the bags are small portions. However, most reviewers like the texture of these chips and say that they're light and delicious. They also have the right balance of sweetness and saltiness, making them a perfect snack for both kids and adults.
$9.99
Couque D'Asse means "cookies from Asse," the name of a city in Belgium where the brand got the inspiration from. They're individually-wrapped, buttery wafer cookies filled with mascarpone. There are other flavors like Vienna coffee and strawberry cream cheese, too!
Some reviewers complained that many cookies arrived broken. But they said these cookies are thin, crunchy, and not too sweet. The cream filling is soft, smooth, and creamy and melts in your mouth.
$5.98
This dry ramen noodle snack with a Korean-style barbecue beef flavor has a sweetness from soy sauce, sugar, and honey. To prepare this snack, you crush the noodles into small pieces, add the seasoning powder, shake it well, and enjoy.
Most reviewers said it has a perfect taste combination of sweet and salty. Some reviewers said it has a similar taste to a beef noodle soup. Additionally, they said it's very filling and has a crunchier texture than potato chips.
$10.99
Seaweed snacks are rich in iodine and contain only 25 calories per packet. These are seasoned with three types of oil, sea salt, and green tea powder. You can eat them straight out of the packet or pair them with other foods like rice.
Most reviewers agreed that they're fresh, crispy, and very tasty snacks. They're filling and have a nice aroma. Some reviewers said they taste great with seafood salad, ramen, soup, and pizza. Additionally, some people said the wasabi flavor is also delicious and not too spicy.
$11.70
Based on stir-fried rice cakes, a popular Korean street food, these crunchy noodle-like chips are made with a combination of gochujang and gochugaru. Gochujang is a thick paste made from red chili pepper flakes and fermented soybeans, whereas gochugaru is a ground Korean chili powder made from sun-dried peppers.
Some people said the first bite wasn't spicy but sweet; however, the heat came in the aftertaste. Most reviewers said they're crunchy and crispy. They say they aren't as hot as expected and anyone can handle them.
Don't feel guilty about snacking, but do choose the right ones! We can help you find something to satisfy your sweet, salty or spicy cravings.
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