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What to buy from South Korea? (Part 1 of 3) Snacks Attack!

The husband is back from Seoul. And I feel like I’ve also came back with him. All thanks to communication technology, we were able to keep in touch constantly. Whenever he went sight-seeing with my in-laws, he was able to broadcast ‘live’ sights and sounds which was quite a surreal experience because it was as though I was just there touring with them. Video on Google Hangout – perfect app for achieving this.

It was really thoughtful of the husband to keep me involved in his trip to Seoul especially because I couldn’t go with him as I needed to be here for my family. Hospital appointments and what not.

One of the most fun moments? Shopping with him ‘live’ at Lotte Mart. I’ve been to Korea a couple of times before and I have a good idea of the interesting finds to buy back as souvenirs for family and friends so I had prepared a shopping list for him before he set off. But again, more and more Korean supermarkets have emerged in Singapore in recent years, it’s actually not difficult to find a few of the same items here at home.

If you’re now doing research on what to buy because you’re planning a trip to Seoul soon, check out our loot that’s worth your consideration –

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Spicy Rice Cakes crackers! I bet you’d not stop at one pack! They are shaped just like the spicy rice cakes we get from roadside stalls in Korea and are packed with a wonderful crunch with a slight fiery kick. I like to chill them in the fridge before eating. Somehow it just makes the flavour more intense. Absolutely yummy! And did I mention, it’s pretty addictive!

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Dr. You is another brand you should look out for. It carries so many different types of snacks, I wish the husband could pack all home! What we have here are Dr. You’s mini energy bars, Lotte’s cheesy butter cookies and some Korean brand of deep-fried, crispy Sticky Rice Laver (seaweed) snack.

The energy bars are filled with fragrant rice crisps and lovely nutty goodness with chocolate of course. Easy to carry around in your bag and you can pop one in your mouth any time you have a sugar low. Best of all, it’s not too sweet!

The cookies are very rich in cheese flavour, similar taste to parmesan. So if you love cheese, you’d definitely enjoy this too.

The laver snack is not my personal favourite but the husband loves it. I think the seaweed tastes a little ‘strong’ which I’m not quite used to.

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I don’t know why banana milk is like the must-drink beverage when you’re in Korea. It’s just a big thing there. I got the husband to buy the Light version which is lower in fat. It’s actually just banana-flavoured UHT which some people may find it a little artificial. It’s quite nice but the only downside is, it’s too sweet. So I’d have it with ice just so the milk can be a little diluted.

Lotte’s brand of chocolate sunflower seeds is a must-buy! Each piece is so tiny but the chocolate coating on every seed is somehow so crispy. And because you’d tend to gobble down big mouthfuls of it, it’s best to buy more packets because they will be gone very fast!

My husband also got me a Doraemon cup of chocolate coated crisps because he knows I’d find this cute! Well, indeed!

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Brought back some fond memories of a similar childhood snack named Ding Dang that was made in Malaysia in the 80s. I don’t think I can get that anywhere now.

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More Dr. You stuffs (cheese & pumpkin cookies), fish shape cakes filled with chocolate & marshmallow or mochi and the Number One most-famous food item – Market O Real Brownies. You can get Market O brownies from Korean supermarkets here too. But it costs double here of course.

The brownies are very chocolatey and sweet. And I’m just amazed at how fresh they taste even though they are packeted confectionery. I prefer the fish shape cakes better as the inner filling is gooey and sticky.

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I like this particular brand of seaweed as I assume it contains no MSG. It’s also less salty than other brands I’ve tried. I can’t read the Korean wordings so I may be wrong but we don’t feel thirsty at all after consuming a few packs. And yes, the husband bought TWENTY packs of this as gifts.

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And not forgetting my favourite beef broth too. This seasoning powder is best for soups and stews. I’d likely feature a recipe with this very soon.

While the husband was in Korea, I made a trip to Shine Korea Supermarket at Far East Plaza and got these:

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Like I mentioned earlier, you can easily get popular snacks from Korea here in Singapore so check out the nearest Korean supermarket soon if you’re interested to try some of these stuffs.

In Part 2 of this post, I shall be sharing my loot of skincare products. Oh yes, Korean skincare brands that most of us ladies love! Check out What to buy from South Korea? Skincare & Beauty Products.

In Part 3 of this post, check out my yummy recommendations from Paris Baguette, one of the top bakery chains in Korea. Read What to buy from South Korea? Paris Baguette Cheesecake & Breads.

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