Japanese vs Korean Snacks: which are the best?

Asian cuisine is very popular for its delicious dishes and snacks with unique tastes and special aesthetics. When it comes to Japanese and Korean dishes and snacks, it's hard to deny that anime and Kdramas have made them more popular worldwide. Over the years, these snacks  have amazed the world with their artistic flair for delicious and healthy snacks that come in different tastes, shapes, sizes, and flavors. Finally, it's time for the JAPANESE SNACKS VS KOREAN SNACKS showdown to know just how similar they are. 

Have you ever wondered how different or similar snacks from these countries would be? No need to wonder anymore because in this article, we will cover popular Japanese and Korean snacks. 

Japanese Snacks

The Japanese are very famous for the sheer number of new snacks manufactured every year. I mean, Japanese Kit Kat alone has over 300 flavors. Their snacks are known for being very attractive, and taste even better than they look. While there are loads to choose from, you have got to start from somewhere.

Pocky

Pocky is a very popular Japanese snack that can be relished all year long. It is very delicious and exciting to munch on. It is a biscuit shaped like a long stick and covered in chocolate. The end of the biscuit is not covered in chocolate, though, to avoid your hands getting messy and sticky. A packet of pocky might be what you need to get through a stressful day. Though the classic flavor of pocky is in chocolate, there are now many flavors you can choose from. There is strawberry, matcha, vanilla, milk chocolate, cookies and cream, melon, butter chocolate, cherry blossom flavors, and many more! Pocky has a taste for everyone. 

Taiyaki

Hmm, I smell something fishy, it’s probably Taiyaki. It is a very popular Japanese snack sold as street food. Taiyaki is a fish-shaped snack with a classic filling of sweetened azuki beans. The shape of the fish is like that of a Tai fish, which is where it got its name from. Aside from the azuki beans, there are various fillings that can be used in the taiyaki. Popular flavors are chocolate, custard cream, apple pie, and matcha flavors. There are even more daring fillings like ice cream! 

Dorayaki

Dorayaki is a delicious snack fashioned from the azuki bean paste sandwiched between two fluffy honey pancakes. They are usually golden brown and taste similar to a sponge cake, with the azuki bean paste heightening the deliciousness. They are extremely tasty, and you will definitely be reaching for more after the first one. 

Senbei

Senbei is a Japanese rice cracker that comes in assorted shapes and sizes. They are usually relished with green tea, and they come in savory and sweet tastes. It has a crunchy texture which boosts the munching experience.

Meiji Hello Panda Cookies

This is a very cute Japanese snack with an adorable panda character. The pandas are bite-sized and filled with chocolate. They also have a crunchy exterior which crumbles after a bite and leaves the chocolate filling. There are also other flavors available: vanilla, matcha, strawberry, caramel, and a lot more. Though popular with kids, age is not a barrier to exploring deliciousness! They are very much available worldwide. 

Korean Snacks

Korean cuisine is popular for its colorful and delicious snacks. They usually have that warm and cozy feeling to them which reminds one of home. In exploring the snacks Korean cuisine has to offer, let’s go through the following: 

Pepero

Pepero, just like pocky, a thin cookie covered in chocolate. Where pocky is neat and prim, Pepero is messy but has a larger helping of chocolate. Just like pocky, Pepero is available in many flavors. Pepero, though relished all year long, is more popular on Pepero Day, held annually on the 11th of November in Korea. It is not a national holiday, though, and people go to work. This delicious snack is exchanged between friends, families, and lovers on this day. It is held on the 11th because the Pepero resembles a “1,” and the 11th of November happens to be 11/11. 

Bungeoppang

Bungeoppang is a taiyaki look-alike. It is also a fish-shaped snack stuffed with sweet red bean paste. It is sold in the streets and is very popular in South Korea, especially during the winter. It is also crisp and chewy, and the azuki bean paste grants waves of deliciousness. The difference between taiyaki and bungeoppang is that the taiyaki is shaped like the Tai fish and also got its name from there, which means “sea bream .”And “Bungeo” in Korean means “crucian carp,” also a fish, but with a vaguely different shape. 

Choco Pie

Choco Pie is two small round layers of fluffy cake, completely covered in chocolate and with a marshmallow filling. It is a very popular snack in Korea, and a glance will have you drooling. It is very attractive and extremely delicious. The chocolate exterior and the squishy sweet marshmallow will give you feelings next to none. When compared with dorayaki, the shape is the only similarity. 

Honey Butter Chips

Honey butter chips are extremely popular in Korea. They are thinly sliced potato chips that are submerged in a small amount of vinegar and then fried. They are then glazed with honey butter which creates a shiny look. It is a combination of sweet, slightly salty, and crunchy. Prepare a tower of honey butter chips for tasting because the delicious taste is addictive. 

Tteokbokki

Tteokbokki is one of the most popular street foods in Korea. It is a very delicious Korean rice cake smeared in a sweet-spicy sauce. It is chewy and filling but can be sweet or savory. A bite of this street snack will keep you craving more. A warm spicy tteokbokki served with a reasonable amount of gochujang (Korean chili paste) will keep you warm and full on a cold night. 

We can see that there are some similarities between Japanese and Korean snacks, and there are some that are unique on their own. Similarities or not, the snacks from these countries are a must-taste when trying to sample cuisines from the Asian part of the world. Enjoy your mouth-watering snacks!

To get your hands on these amazing Japanese Snacks, check out our snack pack from ZenPop ready to be delivered to you from anywhere in the world.

This article was originally written by our freelance writer Umm-Kulthum Abdulkareem, and edited by us.