Must Try Summer Snacks in Korea: A Journey of Flavors

Though Korea has a lot of options to choose from when it comes to snacks because they are readily available, easy to eat, and affordable, and one can go with anything they like irrespective of the season.

Some snacks are meant to be eaten in a particular season and time to get the full-fledged experience and the flavor to the fullest. And that is why we have gathered some Korean snacks that you must try this summer to handle the heat and enjoy the weather. 

So, without further ado, let’s dive into the must-have best Korean snacks list.

• Patbingsu: No list of must-have food is complete without a dessert, and when it’s summer in Korea, Patbingsu is a must-have. The shaved ice with red beans is one of the most sought-after desserts and one of the most popular Korean snacks in the weather. The soft and sweet mashed red beans, fruits, candies, and other add-ons that one can get customized according to the taste and wants on top of shaved ice, are an instant reliever. This is a must-have without any second thoughts for all the sweet tooth foodies. 

• Chimaek: A power couple that can never go wrong, not just in summer but in any weather, for that matter. Chimaek, or chicken and beer, is one of the go-to dishes cum best Korean snacks for the natives in the weather because of the relief that the chilling beer can provide with the fried chicken while sitting on the terrace with pals or alone. So, if you are looking for affordable but comforting food after work or to enjoy the weather and not fret about the heat, go for this. 

• Subak Hwachae: Nothing can be better than a cool and refreshing punch in the scorching summer, and if it is the Korean punch called the Subak Hwachae, then the summer and the craving for a snack are sorted. The easy-to-make and anytime-have-it watermelon punch is a delight and a popular dessert in Korea. The Koreans have it to beat the heat and keep their body cool. Many have it alone with watermelon and mix it with other fruits alongside soda, milk, sweetener, and ice cubes. The most enjoyable way to have this Korean snack cum drink is to have it inside the sliced watermelon.  

• Banana Milk: all Jungkook fans are accustomed to banana milk, but it has been a favorite of Koreans for a long time. It is yet another healthy and tasty treat for a summer snack that will fill the stomach, satisfy and cool the body in the sweaty summer. Though it is available all year, this drink's natural taste and feel can only be experienced in the summer. So, remember to try it out if you still need to.

• Milkis: If you are a K-drama fan, milkis is a familiar name to you. It is a Korean soft drink mixed with milk that gives the drink a unique taste and texture and differentiates it from other soft and carbonated drinks. It is a perfect delight for the summer season and is available in various flavors to suit every taste palette. Though it is a drink, a list of snacks for summer is incomplete without mentioning milkis, which is a summer ritual and memory for all the natives.

• Ice Cream Bungeoppang: Summer and ice cream are the best combinations for every summer worldwide, but what makes the ice cream experience unique in Korea is ice cream in Bungeoppang. One of the most satisfying and wholesome desserts and summer snacks in Korea. Bungeoppang is a fish-shaped pastry like Japan’s Taiyaki, and ice-cream bungeoppang is literally ice cream inside bungeoppang. All those who love hooks with red beans, ice cream sandwiches, or waffles with ice cream, then be assured that this will surely be a hit for the tongue and stomach this summer. 

• Melona bars: Summer without Melona bars in Korea is just incomplete. The most on-the-go Korean summer snack available around the year is just the right thing to have if you are in search of instant relaxation and a chilled feeling. They are just irresistible once tasted. The colorful ice lollies can be eaten alone or with dripped chocolate, sprinklers, or even in bingsu or with cereals. These bars are just not tasty but versatile that they will definitely become a summer bestie. 

• Mak-guksu: When it’s summer, one thing that first comes to mind is cold noodles, and one of the most popular kinds has to be Mak-Guksu. The buckwheat noodles soaked in cold broth and served with cucumber, vegetables, meat, and chili paste to round the dish off are a perfect and filling summer snack that you should not miss out on. The dish is a Gangwon specialty, but every Korean relishes the refreshing, healthy, and chewy cold noodles around the country.

• Dotorimuk: An all-season side dish but a star in the summer season all over Korea. It is not just eaten before the main meal but is also treated as a Korean snack in the season. As the dish translates to, the acorn jelly is, as the name suggests, a jelly made out of acorn powder. Koreans enjoy this flavourful, creamy, earthy, and nutty-tasting jelly with spicy soy sauce or kimchi because of its mild taste. The dish might seem basic, but it acts as a star, before a meal, or as a snack. 

• Samgyetang: another popular summer dish that cannot go unnoticed or uneaten is Samgyetang. The hot soup mixed with ginseng, whole chicken, rice and jujube, and herbs is a wholesome meal that Koreans believe to be a perfect dish for the weather. But why a hot dish in the hot weather? The natives strongly believe that the best way to endure the humid weather is to fight the heat with heat.

• Naengmyeon: Another cold noodles delicacy soaked in cold beef broth, vegetables, pear, meat and a boiled egg. This is quite a popular dish to have in summer not just because it will cool down the body in the high temperature but also because it is filling, healthy and utterly delicious.

Be it summer, winter, autumn or spring, food in South Korea is like a celebration that can be celebrated all year at any place, with anyone or alone. This being said some delicacies, recipes and snacks are meant to be enjoyed at a specific time like these few summer snacks which are a must have when the sun is blazing and the rain showers are there to the rescue to bring some comfort.