Gyeongju walnut pastry shop, hanji-labeled Chuseok gift box: Buja Hodu

A Chuseok gift idea, and a nutritious snack for parents and kids alike.

Why Buja Hodu for a Hwangnidan-gil souvenir?

Gyeongju is both far and near haha!! Hwangnidan-gil has so much to eat and see, and instead of buying the same souvenir every time on the way back, I picked up walnut pastries made with 100% rice dough in several flavors that both my parents and kids would love ^^

I fell for the big walnut size right away, and with so many flavors it doesn't get boring, so I thought it'd make a great Chuseok gift this time too!!

Buja Hodu is located at 38 Poseok-ro 1095beon-gil, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and is open daily from 09:30 to 20:00.

Where Buja Hodu is and where to park

Buja Hodu, a well-known dessert spot on Hwangnidan-gil, is located not far from the main street. I parked at the public parking lot, and since it was right on the way to Hwangnidan-gil, I could grab it perfectly timed on the way back to the car after exploring 👍👍

Buja Hodu's four flavors and box options

There are 4 flavors: low-sugar red bean, pea cream cheese, matcha, and almond praline! I never got to try the almond praline, so I'm super curious. Definitely going earlier next time to make sure I get it lol.

There are also various packaging styles and piece-count options, so it seems easy to pick whatever suits your taste for souvenirs or gift sets ☺️

The walnut pastries individually wrapped so neatly >_< The wrapping cloth-style packaging next to it must be the gift set wrapping! Buja Hodu is popular for Chuseok gifts ahead of the holiday, and they said courier delivery is possible too, so it's carefully packaged and perfect for gifting.

Can't miss the receipt review service 😁

The walnut pastries were freshly baked and wrapped one by one with care, and you can see the whole store — it was kept very clean.

What's inside the 15-piece mix and 15-piece original boxes

The regular packaging is tidy too, right? I got two boxes — a 15-piece mix and a 15-piece original. Off we go, straight home~

Ta-da~✨️ Even without the cloth wrap, the packaging was clean and looked premium — I really liked it.

How colored hanji and jewels mark each flavor

In the 15-piece mix box, the three flavors are lined up in neat rows so they don't get mixed up. Colored hanji (traditional Korean paper) or gem decorations mark each flavor, so there's no confusion.

From top to bottom: pea cream cheese, low-sugar red bean, matcha.

How to store and reheat Buja Hodu walnut pastries

You can refrigerate them, but if storing for a long time, freeze right away and reheat in a microwave or air fryer. ✔️I recommend the air fryer. The outside gets crispy and the inside stays warm and moist, so it genuinely tastes like it was just baked. If you prefer softer walnut pastries, a quick spin in the microwave thaws them warm in no time.

Tasting the three flavors in order

Pea cream cheese walnut pastry

In the mix, the one with the gem attached like this is the pea cream cheese.

For a second I thought, is this matcha? But it's green pea paste with delicious cream cheese and a big walnut inside. The large walnut was genuinely delicious. The combo of savory walnut and cream cheese was the best.

Matcha walnut pastry

Next up, matcha. The subtle matcha aroma blended with the walnut made for a dessert that calls for coffee. Perfect to enjoy as a snack alongside coffee.

Low-sugar red bean walnut pastry

No need to say it, the red bean walnut pastry is unconditionally delicious hahaha. Low-sugar red bean, so no worries there. The rice dough was packed full of red bean paste, and with a big walnut too, the harmony with the plain dough was so tasty.

Would I buy Buja Hodu gift boxes again?

I really love walnut pastries, and these were satisfying because they were packed full and, above all, the walnuts were savory and delicious >_< My kids snacked on them after school, I had them as a coffee dessert here and there, and before I knew it there was barely anything left to put in the freezer lol.

Good for a gift for parents, and perfect as a snack for kids too — I'm definitely stopping by again on my next Gyeongju trip. They said courier delivery is available too ^^