Learn Must-Know Words, Expressions, and Fun Facts About Korean Desserts (한국 디저트)

Korean desserts range from traditional sweets like 떡 (rice cakes) to trendy favorites like 빙수 (shaved ice) and 달고나 (honeycomb candy). Whether you’re visiting a traditional market or a modern café, knowing dessert-related Korean will sweeten your experience!

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🍡 Must-Know Korean Dessert Vocabulary

Korean	Pronunciation	English
디저트	di-jeo-teu	Dessert
떡	tteok	Rice cake
한과	han-gwa	Traditional Korean sweets
빙수	bing-su	Shaved ice dessert
팥빙수	pat-bing-su	Red bean shaved ice
인절미	in-jeol-mi	Bean powder rice cake
찹쌀떡	chap-ssal-tteok	Glutinous rice cake
달고나	dal-go-na	Honeycomb candy
호떡	ho-tteok	Sweet syrup-filled pancake
약과	yak-gwa	Traditional honey cookie
경단	gyeong-dan	Sweet rice balls
화과자	hwa-gwa-ja	Korean-style wagashi sweets
수제 디저트	su-je di-jeo-teu	Handmade dessert
디저트 카페	di-jeo-teu ka-pe	Dessert café
아이스크림	a-i-seu-keu-rim	Ice cream
케이크	ke-i-keu	Cake

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🍴 Useful Verbs & Phrases for Talking About Dessert

Korean	Pronunciation	English
디저트를 먹다	di-jeo-teu-reul meok-da	To eat dessert
맛있다	mat-it-da	To be delicious
달다	dal-da	To be sweet
고소하다	go-so-ha-da	To be nutty (pleasant flavor)
쫄깃쫄깃하다	jjol-git-jjol-git-ha-da	To be chewy
녹다	nok-da	To melt
주문하다	ju-mun-ha-da	To order
추천해 주세요	chu-cheon-hae ju-se-yo	Please recommend something

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🗣️ Common Dessert Expressions in Korean

Korean	Pronunciation	English
이 디저트 너무 맛있어요!	i di-jeo-teu neo-mu mat-it-seo-yo!	This dessert is so delicious!
쫄깃쫄깃한 떡 좋아해요.	jjol-git-jjol-git-han tteok jo-a-hae-yo	I like chewy rice cakes.
팥빙수 하나 주세요.	pat-bing-su ha-na ju-se-yo	One red bean shaved ice, please.
어떤 떡이에요?	eo-tteon tteok-i-e-yo?	What kind of rice cake is this?
단 거 좋아하세요?	dan geo jo-a-ha-se-yo?	Do you like sweet things?
디저트 카페 어디 있어요?	di-jeo-teu ka-pe eo-di iss-eo-yo?	Where’s a dessert café?

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🍨 Korean Desserts – Facts & Tips

🍬 Traditional vs Modern

• Traditional: 떡, 한과, 약과, 강정, 경단
• Modern: 수제 케이크, 마카롱, 쿠키, 푸딩, 디저트 카페 메뉴

Many dessert cafés mix modern Western styles with Korean ingredients like 녹차 (green tea), 흑임자 (black sesame), or 인절미 (soybean powder).

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🛍️ Where to Buy Korean Desserts

• 떡방앗간: Traditional rice cake shops
• 전통시장: Local traditional markets
• 디저트 카페: Popular in Seoul and major cities
• 편의점: Convenience stores carry popular items like 달고나, 찹쌀떡, or packaged 빙수

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🧾 Cultural Notes

• Desserts are often shared, especially 빙수, which is served in large bowls.
• 떡 is commonly gifted during 명절 (holidays) or 잔치 (celebrations).
• 인절미, 찹쌀떡, and 약과 are sometimes served at weddings, birthdays, or ancestral rites.

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🍭 Bonus Dessert-Related Vocabulary

Korean	Pronunciation	English
단맛	dan-mat	Sweet taste
쫀득하다	jjon-deuk-ha-da	To be sticky-chewy
흑임자	heuk-im-ja	Black sesame
꿀	kkul	Honey
잼	jaem	Jam
생크림	saeng-keu-rim	Whipped cream
디저트 플레이트	di-jeo-teu peu-le-i-teu	Dessert plate
달콤한 간식	dal-kom-han gan-sik	Sweet snack

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🎯 Vocabulary Quiz

1. How do you say “sweet rice cake” in Korean?
2. What does 쫄깃쫄깃하다 mean?
3. Translate: “This dessert is very sweet.”

💬 Share your answers in the comments!

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