Snack
Bungeo-ppang
Fish-Shaped Red-Bean Pastry
A fish-shaped pastry with a crisp waffle shell and sweet red-bean filling — a nostalgic winter street snack.
Bungeo-ppang ('crucian carp bread') is a fish-shaped pastry cooked in a hinged iron mold, with a thin, crisp waffle-like shell and a warm filling of sweet red-bean paste. It's a quintessential winter street snack, sold from carts by the bagful and eaten with cold hands as steam rises off it. Despite the fish shape there's no fish — the form is purely decoration, and Koreans debate whether to eat it head-first or tail-first. It's affordable, nostalgic, and tied to memories of childhood winters, which is why its seasonal return each year is genuinely celebrated. Custard, pizza, and other fillings now appear, but red bean remains the classic.
How to eat it
- Eat it warm and fresh, straight from the cart, with your hands.
- Mind the hot filling near the center.
- Buy a few — they're sold cheaply by the bag.
Common mistakes
- Don't expect any fish flavor — the shape is just for fun.
- Eat it while warm; the shell softens as it cools.
Where to try it
- Winter street carts across the country
- Near subway exits and busy intersections in cold months
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