Home > National > Social Affairs

Beware of fake Hwangnam-ppang, Gyeongju bakery warns after pastry's popularity soars

Published: 04 Nov. 2025, 17:48

A box of Hwangnam-ppang, pastry filled with sweet red bean paste that is a local specialty, sent to the Chinese delegation to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping to Korea for a three-day state visit since Thursday. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

The bakery behind Hwangnam-ppang, the famed sweet red bean pastry from Gyeongju, has warned consumers against resellers and counterfeit products after the treat's popularity surged during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

Hwangnam Bakery posted a notice on its website urging customers to order only through its official site.

“Recently, some sellers have been reselling Hwangnam-ppang online at inflated prices or marketing imitation products under our name, leading to consumer complaints,” the notice read.

The pastry drew global attention after President Lee Jae Myung presented Chinese President Xi Jinping with a box of Hwangnam-ppang wrapped in traditional cloth on Oct. 31, saying he hoped the Chinese president would get a taste of Gyeongju. The Korean delegation also sent 200 boxes to the Chinese representatives attending the APEC summit.

Hwangnam Bakery warned customers on Nov. 4 to place orders only through its official website after noticing a surge of overpriced resales and imitation products online. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

After Xi reportedly told President Lee that he had enjoyed the gift, demand for the pastry skyrocketed.

According to the bakery, crowds have been flocking to its main store near the Cheonmachong tomb in Gyeongju. Orders have more than tripled, and customers now wait one to three hours to buy the pastry.

BY JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]