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There is one thing I quickly noticed after becoming a university student in Korea: snacks are everywhere.
Between classes, study sessions, group projects, and the occasional late night at the library, it is almost impossible to walk around campus without seeing someone with a convenience-store drink in their hand or a bag of snacks open on their desk.
And Korean university students have plenty to choose from.
A quick trip to CU, GS25, or 7-Eleven can turn into a full snack run, with everything from spicy Buldak noodles and crunchy chips to sweet drinks, chocolate, jellies, and protein bars. Some are longtime Korean favorites, while others suddenly become popular after appearing all over social media.
So, if you're studying in Korea or simply want to know what Korean students are actually snacking on during the semester, here are some of the items worth looking out for.
What Are the Viral Korean Convenience Store Snacks and Drinks?
Korean convenience stores are constantly changing their shelves, so there is always something new to discover. But a few products have become recognizable staples among students and international visitors alike.
Buldak Ramen
Source: GoSweet
It is difficult to talk about Korean convenience-store culture without mentioning Samyang Buldak Ramen.
The spicy chicken-flavored noodles became internationally famous through the Buldak challenge, and the original Buldak Ramen is still a familiar convenience-store pick. The Carbonara version is another popular option if you want something creamy alongside the spice. Samyang currently lists both the original Buldak Ramen (불닭볶음면) and Buldak Ramen Carbonara (까르보불닭볶음면) among its products.
For students, the appeal is pretty obvious: it is inexpensive, filling, quick to prepare, and perfect for a late-night study break.
And if you see a student adding cheese, a triangle kimbap, or another convenience-store item to their noodles, don't be surprised. Creating your own convenience-store combinations is part of the fun.
Want to try Buldak for yourself? You can find Buldak Original and other Samyang favorites on the Daebak Shop.
Pepero
Source: Aclipse
Lotte Pepero (빼빼로) is another classic you will see regularly in Korean convenience stores. These chocolate-covered biscuit sticks are easy to throw into your bag between classes, share with friends, or keep on your desk while studying. They also come in plenty of variations, so the snack aisle can become surprisingly difficult to walk away from with only one flavor.
Pepero also has a special place in Korean gift culture. November 11 is celebrated as Pepero Day (빼빼로 데이), when people exchange Pepero with their partners, friends, family, and coworkers as a simple way to show affection and appreciation. The date 11/11 is associated with the long, thin shape of the Pepero sticks.
Because of its association with affection and romance, Pepero is also sometimes given as a sweet gesture to someone you like, making it a popular small gift for couples and people who want to express their feelings.
Honey Butter Chips
Source: Snack Affair
If you want to try one of Korea's most recognizable snack trends, look for Haitai Honey Butter Chips (허니버터칩).
The sweet-and-salty potato chips became famous for their distinctive flavor and were associated with major demand when they first launched. They have since become one of the Korean snacks that international visitors often look for when exploring convenience stores.
They are also exactly the kind of snack that disappears quickly during a group study session.
Kkobuk Chip
Source: KMALL09
Another one to look for is Orion Kkobuk Chip (꼬북칩), especially the Choco Churros flavor.
Kkobuk Chip has a distinctive multi-layered, crunchy texture, while the Choco Churros version combines that texture with a sweet chocolate-and-churros flavor. It has become a popular pick in Korean snack recommendations and social-media snack content.
Banana Milk
Source: South Korea Hallyu
Then there are the drinks.
Binggrae Banana Flavored Milk (바나나맛우유) is one of the most recognizable Korean convenience-store drinks. The little yellow bottle has been a familiar Korean drink since 1974, and it is still an easy choice when you want something sweet after class.
More recently, it has also become popular to mix banana milk with iced Americano, creating a sweet and creamy coffee drink. If you want to try it, I especially recommend the hazelnut flavor for an extra nutty twist.
Source: The Korea Times
Milkis
Source: Tasting Table
If you've never tried Milkis (밀키스) , this is another Korean drink worth putting on your list.
It combines carbonation with a sweet, creamy milk flavor, which sounds unusual until you actually try it. Lotte Chilsung says the drink was originally created with students tired from long hours of studying in mind, and the brand now also has a zero-calorie Milkis Zero line.
Bacchus and Energy Drinks
Source: Dmall
And then there is the student classic: caffeine.
Small energy and vitamin drinks such as Bacchus (박카스) are common sights around Korean convenience stores, especially when students are trying to survive a long day of classes and studying.
During exam season, the selection gets even more obvious: energy drinks, coffee, protein bars and other quick snacks suddenly become campus essentials.
Want to Try Korean Student Snacks Without Studying in Korea?
If you are reading this from outside Korea, you don't have to wait until your next trip to Seoul to experience the Korean snack aisle.
SnackFever by Daebak brings a curated selection of Korean snacks straight from Korea, inspired by the kinds of treats you would find in a Seoul convenience store.
Curious about what you might find inside? Read our Korean Snack Box Guide to discover more about how each box brings a little piece of Korean snack culture to your doorstep
Midterms/Finals Snack Booster: The Best Part of Exam Season
Source: K-campus
One of my favorite things about being a university student in Korea is what happens when midterms/finals start getting closer.
Universities often organize exam-period snack giveaways to encourage students, and suddenly you can find students lining up on campus for free food and drinks.
At my university, these giveaways are something students genuinely look forward to. And the contents make perfect sense when you think about student life: energy drinks, protein bars, sweets and quick snacks that can be thrown into your bag and eaten between classes or during a study session.
This isn't just something I have noticed on one campus, either. Korean universities regularly organize exam-period snack events. For example, in 2026, Kongju National University distributed exam-support kits containing cup noodles, hot bars, snacks, nuts and energy drinks, while Sungkyunkwan University included items such as Red Bull, a strawberry-cheese protein bar, coffee and popcorn in its exam-period giveaway.
At Sookmyung Women's University, a 2026 midterm event distributed snacks to 1,200 students, including smoked eggs and smoked quail eggs.
So if you happen to be studying in Korea during midterms and see a long line of students carrying identical snack bags, there is a good chance you've found one of these events.
Why Are Korean Snacks So Popular Among College Students?
Source: The Takeout
Honestly, the answer is pretty simple: they fit student life incredibly well.
First, convenience stores are everywhere. CU, GS25, 7-Eleven and emart24 make it easy to grab something between lectures, before heading to the library, or on the way home.
Second, Korean snacks come in a huge variety of sizes, flavors and price points. You can spend a few thousand won on a drink and a snack, or put together something much more substantial.
And then there is the fun of discovering something new.
Korean convenience stores constantly rotate limited-edition products, collaborations and new flavors. Social media also plays a big role in turning an ordinary convenience-store product into the next thing everyone wants to try.
For university students, that combination of cheap, convenient and constantly changing is hard to beat.
A snack can be breakfast before class, something to share during a group project, a study-session reward, or simply a little treat after surviving a three-hour lecture.
More Than Just a Snack
Korean convenience stores might look like simple places to grab something to eat, but for university students, they can become part of everyday campus life.
They are where you pick up breakfast before an early class, grab a coffee between lectures, stock up on snacks before an all-night study session, or discover a new limited-edition flavor with your friends. And when exam season arrives, even a simple snack can become part of the shared experience of getting through midterms together.
So if you're studying in Korea, don't underestimate the convenience store around the corner. Some of the most memorable parts of student life can start with something as simple as a drink, a snack, and a few minutes between classes.
And if you're not in Korea yet, you can still get a little taste of that experience wherever you are.
Keep discovering Korean culture with Daebak Daily, and find your next Korean favorite with Daebak.
