Taiwanese butter bun is a great dessert when eaten with milk tea. / Korea Times photo by Do Je-hae

By Do Je-hae

Asian desserts are becoming noticeably more available in Korea. In my neighborhood alone,

there are several stores selling Taiwanese pastries and Hong Kong drinks that were not there a few months ago.

Desserts are some of my favorite small luxuries. They have a good effect on picking up the mood and 

raising the energy level.

Previously, European food items such as macarons and tiramisu were the more

popular desserts. I also had a macaron phase a few years ago, when I used to visit a little macaron store and buy boxes for myself

and as gifts. Who could say no to a pretty box of colorful, tasteful macarons? Nowadays, the craze for European desserts

has subsided with the rise of Asian desserts sweeping the Korean market.

I was thrilled when Hui Lau Shan, a chain of dessert shops from Hong Kong with more than a 50-year history, finally

arrived in Korea earlier this year. The store specializes in mango-based snacks and desserts and is one of the most popular destinations

for Korean visitors to Hong Kong. Hui Lau Shan has been expanding outside of Hong Kong and China for some time, but its arrival in Korea

was unexpected because I didn't think there was a huge market for snacks made out of mango in Korea. Every time I go to Hui Lau Shan near my home,

there is a long line of people waiting for their orders.

There are many Hui Lau Shan outlets in Hong Kong, and my go-to store is the one near Harbour City, the largest shopping mall in Hong Kong.

One of my favorite things to do in Hong Kong is to enjoy its iconic skyline from the Avenue of Stars and take a long walk with a Hui Lau Shan mango drink.

It's comforting to know that I can get my favorite mango drinkanytime without traveling all the way to Hong Kong.

Another hot keyword in the Korean dessert market is Taiwan, which was the third most popular travel destination for Koreans after Osaka and Tokyo last year.

The boom for Taiwanese desserts is not totally new, since bubble teas and other exotic drinks from Gong Cha, a Taiwanese franchise, have been around in Korea for several years.

But lately, there are more than just drinks.

A chain of bakeries specializing in Taiwanese butter buns was launched in Korea a few months ago. These mini buns are popular street food in Taiwan.

As I have never been to Taiwan, I had never heard of them until I accidentally saw a store selling them at a nearby department store. The soft, buttery taste of the buns

serves as a great dessert after a spicy meal or it could be a very filling breakfast with some good black coffee. The big sponge cakes from Taiwan were immensely popular

at department stores last year. Taiwanese pineapple cakes (Feng li su) and nougat crackers have been selling like hotcakes at major retailers like E-mart and Home plus.

Then what about Korean desserts? I got to thinking about why Korea does not have desserts that have aroused a global sensation like Hui Lau Shan.

In SNS and foreign media, there is a lot of talk about Korean dishes like kimchi, bulgogi and ramen, and essential Korean ingredients like gochujang. But I have rarely seen people

mention Korean desserts. Koreans don't have a culture of finishing their meals with something sweet, and this may be one of the reasons why they are not better known.

There is big potential for Koreans desserts in the global market because of their spectacular taste and creativity. Desserts like rice cakes or patbingsu

(shave iced dessert with red beans) are pretty well known already. There are some that deserve to be better promoted internationally.

I think one of Korea's desserts that has the most potential for global appeal is "hotteok." They are easier to make than the more complicated desserts like rice cakes. Simply put,

it's a pancake filled with sweet filling and topped with chopped nuts. Although it's a winter treat, it can be found easily in department stores as well. Another unique dessert that

deserves more popularity is yakkwa, a fried doughy dessert drenched in honey. It comes in various sizes and shapes and easily found in grocery stores. Korea does not have a culture of

pairing meals with a certain drink. In Hong Kong, people like to have tea with their meals and the Vietnamese have their own famous coffee. So Korea is not known for its drinks either.

It is a shame that the uniquely Korean drinks like sugeonggwa is not as well known as some other Asian dessert drinks. The traditional cinnamon punch is a great dessert after any Korean meal. It's a great way to get to know Korea by sipping on one while

shopping at traditional Korean markets at Namdaemun. These markets have tiny stands that sell sujeonggwa and shikhye, a sweet rice beverage.

They are as good and refreshing as any lemon iced-tea or bubble teas that have already become staples in many parts of Asia.


Do Je-hae is an editorial writer for The Korea Times. Write to jhdo@ktimes.com.