[WHY] Why do Koreans wait hours in line for baked treats?

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[WHY] Why do Koreans wait hours in line for baked treats?

Published: 08 Jun. 2024, 07:00 Updated: 11 Jun. 2024, 14:15

SEO JI-EUN
seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr

Bread on display at Sungsimdang, a landmark bakery in Daejeon. Sungsimdang's specialty is fried soboro bread filled with paste. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Koreans are now traveling hundreds of kilometers, not for local favorites like nakgopsae (small octopus, tripe, and shrimp) stew from Busan, grilled black pork from Jeju, or spicy dakgalbi (stir-fried chicken with pepper marinade) from Chuncheon, but for the love of bread.

This trend is called "bbangjisullae," or a bread pilgrimage — a portmanteau of bbang meaning bread and seongjisullae meaning pilgrimage.

Some even take overnight trains to participate in an "open run," where they queue before the store opens to ensure they get their hands on the limited supply.

The country's dessert craze shows no signs of slowing down, with research agencies predicting that the 7.57 trillion won ($5.53 billion) bakery market will expand further this year. Despite the ongoing economic downturn, experts explain that the popularity of desserts persists because they provide psychological satisfaction that outweighs their cost.

Sungsimdang is packed with people buying bread during the reporter's visit on Dec. 8. [SEO JI-EUN]

Train trips for bread

A long queue filled an alley in Daejeon on a weekday on Dec. 8. Customers from across the country gathered to purchase bread from Sungsimdang, a bakery at the heart of the bread pilgrimage. The store was packed, with over ten cash registers operating non-stop.

Jang Ji-hyun, a 26-year-old office worker from Incheon, considers visiting Sungsimdang an "annual event." Even though the KTX train ride was only an hour, she booked a one-night stay at an Airbnb in Daejeon.

"It's to make sure I get the bread before it sells out," Jang said.

Sungsimdang bread fills a locker inside Daejeon Station. Many visitors from out of town temporarily store their bread in the lockers before taking the train. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Founded in 1956, Sungsimdang is known for its taste and value for the money. Signature items include the 1,700 won fried Soboro with red bean paste and the 2,000 won fried leek bread. Cakes like strawberry or mango rice cake, filled with abundant fruit, require lining up to purchase. Last Christmas, people resold these cakes at triple the price, while buyers still lined up.

Sungsimdang was the most visited spot for tourists in Daejeon in 2022 and 2023, with over 60 percent of respondents citing it as the purpose of their visit to the city, according to the Daejeon Tourism Organization. This is more than double the 24.9 percent for the traditional Daejeon Jungang Market, the second most visited place.

The bakery's influence in the town is so significant that there is a saying, "Daejeon is the city of Sungsimdang." The bakery has branches only in Daejeon, as the CEO aims to contribute to the local economy rather than expand the business.

Despite having only four stores, the bakery's sales last year recorded 124.3 billion won, with operating profits reaching 31.5 billion won, double the 15.4 billion won of the previous year. The operating profit surpasses that of bakery giants like Paris Croissant and CJ Foodville, which operate nationwide franchise bakeries Paris Baguette and Tous Les Jours.

A long line is formed in front of Sungsimdang in Daejeon on May 19. [YONHAP]

Why go so far for bread?

Despite the abundance of bread options at nearby convenience stores and franchise bakeries, Koreans like Jang are willing to travel far, drawn by the specific breads and unique stories of local bakeries.

"Sungsimdang also has a cultural space next to the bakery. It was interesting to experience the history and story of the bakery there," Jang said.

A search for "bread pilgrimage" on Instagram brings up 856,000 posts as of Friday showcasing unique kinds of bread from across Korea. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Each famous bakery has at least one signature item, such as the red bean paste bun from Leesungdang in North Jeolla or corn bread from Daegu’s Samsong Bakery. These signature items have made local bakeries famous, becoming an economic driver in many parts of Korea. On Instagram, the hashtag bbangjisunrae has been used in over 850,000 posts, transforming such “pilgrimages” into a new culinary trend.

The number of bakery operators nationwide has been rising each year, reaching 24,777 in 2020, 26,704 in 2021, and 28,070 in 2022, according to the Food Information Statistics System.

In contrast, the number of conglomerate-operated franchise bakeries has stalled.

Korean bakeries earn their crust overseas, build more plants

In Korean culture, bread was traditionally regarded as a dessert, but it is increasingly becoming a meal option akin to Western practices, gradually replacing rice as dietary habits evolve.

Rice consumption in Korea has significantly declined, with annual per capita rice consumption halving since 1970.

According to Statistics Korea, annual per capita rice consumption dropped from 69.8 kilograms in 2012 to 57.7 kilograms in 2020, a decrease of 17.3 percent.

Meanwhile, annual per capita bread consumption rose from 6.6 kilograms in 2012 to 7.1 kilograms in 2020, a 7.6 percent increase, according to a Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency report.

This translates to an increase in bread consumption from 78 pieces to 83 pieces per year, assuming each piece weighs 85 grams.

Models present colorful desserts. [SHINSEGAE DEPARTMENT STORE]

Small luxuries

Bread is a part of a bigger dessert boom.

Every season, new dessert trends such as Taiwanese castella, honeycomb ice cream, macarons, bubble tea and tanghulu come and go. Credit card purchases at dessert shops grew by 19 percent last year, with the top-selling items including tanghulu (a 1,678 percent increase), bagels and churros (108 percent increase), and walnut cookies (14 percent increase), according to analysis by KB Kookmin Card.

The latest fad includes traditional snacks like yakgwa cookies and gangjeong sweet rice puffs. Yakgwa, a traditional Korean treat, has seen a resurgence among the younger generation, sparking the "halmaennial" trend — a portmanteau of "halmae," or grandma, and "millennial," suggesting young people acquiring older tastes. Some yakgwa shops have become so popular that people must closely monitor the time and frantically click for online reservations when the shop opens to secure their desired quantity.

"Desserts are sweet and visually appealing, and they are accessible to everyone and offer a great way to share experiences without spending a lot of money," said Lee Young-ae, a professor of consumer science at Incheon National University. "With the rise of social media, it's become easier to take photos and share them, fulfilling the desire of consumers for recognition and significantly boosting the desserts' popularity."

While desserts have always been globally popular, the trend here has evolved significantly in recent years.

Peak cake, the signature cake of Nudake, a sister brand of the eyewear brand Gentle Monster. The pointed bread pieces surrounded by matcha cream resemble mountain peaks encircling a lake. [NUDAKE]

Desserts are now vying to captivate consumers with visually stunning presentations, sometimes even resembling art exhibits with vibrant colors and intricate designs. Many founders of popular dessert or bakery cafes, such as the doughnut shop Knotted, bagel shop London Bagel Museum and cake shop Nudake are former fashion designers or have backgrounds in the fashion industry. These "Instagrammable" products and unique store aesthetics especially attract younger Millennials and Gen Z, who enjoy sharing experiences on Instagram.

"Traditional confectionery and bakery establishments previously centered on items crafted by industry professionals," said Kim Hye-joon, a food content director. "However, the recent influx of skilled professionals with international study experience has elevated the quality of Korean desserts. This enhancement is further amplified by rapid branding and marketing efforts, shaping a consumer trend that prioritzes visually appealing 'trendy items' on social media."

Despite being a Korean bakery, the London Bagel Museum is known for its London-style interiors, featuring British flags and photos of Queen Elizabeth. [SEO JI-EUN]

Desserts from trendy locations make them even more appealing, and securing a dessert after an "open run" or long wait becomes a “unique” experience. Last year, according to the dining reservation platform CatchTable, the London Bagel Museum had the most waiting list reservations, with people willing to wait hours to grab a bagel.

In economic downturns, desserts also serve as "luxury" items, fulfilling a desire for indulgence.

The apple mango bingsu from The Shilla Seoul is priced at 102,000 won this year. [THE SHILLA HOTELS & RESORTS]

The bingsu (shaved ice) sold at luxury hotels in Seoul costs around 100,000 won. Signiel Seoul has raised the price of its apple mango bingsu by 2.4 percent to 130,000 won this year, while the Shilla Hotel in Seoul increased its price by 4.1 percent to 102,000 won.

Despite these record-high prices, bingsu remains popular, with about 15,000 Instagram posts tagged with "Shilla Hotel Mango Bingsu," showcasing the concept of recession consumption, where small luxuries provide psychological satisfaction.

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"While bread pilgrimages to places like Sungsimdang are partly driven by a bandwagon effect, making people want to join in because of their popularity — consuming expensive desserts like bingsu at hotels represents a form of snob consumption, where individuals seek unique experiences that others may not have," said Lee Eun-hee, a consumer science professor at Inha University. "Since staying at a hotel is costly, consuming [relatively affordable] bingsu allows people to enjoy the hotel's ambiance and interiors, offering a 'small luxury' experience."

Sweet Park, Korea's first department store dessert specialty store, opened by Shinsegae Department Store at the Gangnam branch in February. At some of the most popular dessert shops, customers have to wait at the entrance before opening hours if they want a chance to buy their treats. [SHINSEGAE DEPARTMENT STORE]

Department stores bet on desserts
Recognizing the popularity of desserts, department stores are targeting consumers seeking such "small luxuries." This involves featuring renowned dessert brands from both domestic and international markets to drive customer engagement and increase sales.

Shinsegae Department Store's Gangnam branch, the nation's top-selling department store branch, opened a dessert specialty area, Sweet Park, in February after renovating its food hall for the first time in 15 years. The 5,300-square-meter space features 43 brands, including international names like Belgium's Pierre Marcolini and Japan's Gariguette.

“We aimed to create a ‘dessert theme park’ where visitors can see all the latest dessert trends in one place,” said Lee Han-joo, an F&B buyer at Shinsegae. “We launched new brands exclusively developed by renowned patissiers and set up a curated shop with best-selling items from famous local bakeries for 'bread pilgrimage' enthusiasts.”

The focus on desserts is part of a broader strategy to boost overall department store sales.

“Desserts are relatively low-priced items that even people in their teens to 30s can easily buy and enjoy,” Lee explained. “In Korea, they have a fast trend cycle and high viral potential, making them strong customer magnets. Our goal is to attract the Millenials and Gen Z customers through our dessert specialty section.”

This strategy has boosted the branch's overall sales by 20 percent over three months of opening, according to Shinsegae.

The London Bagel Museum at the Lotte Department Store's Jamsil in southern Seoul is crowded with people. [LOTTE DEPARTMENT STORE]

Similarly, Lotte Department Store opened popular dessert brands like Knotted and London Bagel Museum at its Jamsil branch. The Hyundai Seoul in Yeouido has dedicated one-third of its food hall to bakeries and desserts. Last year, it opened the first department store location of the popular bakery cafe in Yongsan District, Teddy Bear House, and hosted various dessert pop-up stores.

Seoul has also seen the emergence of neighborhoods over the years known for their mom-and-pop bakeries, such as Richemont Bakery in Seongsan-dong, Napoleon Bakery in Seongbuk-dong and Patisserie Kim Young Mo in Seocho-dong.

While bakeries may close and hotspots migrate or shift, Korea's many bread lovers will be ready to embark on their next pilgrimage to find the newest and trendiest bread and sweet treats.

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]