Roasted pumpkin chips at Sokcho Yetgokgan, a Sokcho market snack shop

On a recent trip to Sokcho, I was wondering what to buy my parents as a souvenir when, while wandering the market, I came across a shop selling exactly the kind of snacks they'd love. Sokcho Yetgokgan (속초옛곳간), inside Sokcho Jungang Market!

Where is Sokcho Yetgokgan and when is it open?

Sokcho Yetgokgan is located inside Sokcho Jungang Market.

• Address: 38 Jungangsijang-ro 6-gil, Unit 104, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 09:00–20:00

What snacks does Sokcho Yetgokgan sell? Oranda, buckwheat chips, pumpkin chips

Sokcho Yetgokgan sells all kinds of traditional snacks. Oranda (a sweet rice puff snack), oatmeal gangjeong (a sticky grain-and-syrup snack), golden buckwheat chips, roasted sweet pumpkin chips, and more! Most come packed in zipper bags, which made them easy to eat while traveling and easy to store once opened.

What especially caught my eye were the golden buckwheat chips and roasted sweet pumpkin chips! My parents love this kind of snack. The portions were generous too, good for keeping around the house. The oranda was studded with nuts and black sesame, and apparently contains jocheong (rice syrup) and yuzu, which is why it's not hard or sticky to the teeth.

How did the free samples taste?

Sokcho Yetgokgan offers samples of just about everything, so I got to try each one. The chips were nutty and crunchy — great for casual snacking. And since they're not spicy or heavily seasoned, they'd work fine as a snack for babies too. They were just samples, but they were so good I kept reaching for more. Looks like I'll need to buy some for myself along with my parents' gift.

Chapssal-yugwa prices: green tangerine and yuzu yakgwa

They also sell chapssal-yugwa (traditional handmade glutinous rice puff sweets), in cheonggyul (green tangerine) and yuja (yuzu) yakgwa versions! Since yugwa keeps fine at room temperature, you can buy it while traveling without worrying about storage. 7 pieces for ₩10,000, 10 pieces for ₩15,000.

Ginger and bellflower-root syrup, made in the shop

Besides snacks, they also sell ginger syrup and doraji (bellflower root) syrup. They were making the syrup right there in a corner of the shop, so the aroma reached me from a distance. It's said to be sugar-free syrup.

I thought it'd be nice to keep a jar of syrup at home to mix into warm water when you have a sore throat or catch a cold. Ginger syrup in particular is said to help with inflammation, cold hands and feet, cholesterol, blood circulation, immunity, and sleep issues.

Drinks too: hallabong juice and sikhye

They also sell a variety of drinks to quench your thirst while traveling. From hallabong (Jeju tangerine) juice to sikhye (sweet rice punch), there's a good lineup of cold drinks, so it's a nice spot to stop for a snack and a drink while exploring Sokcho Jungang Market.

The gift for my parents: roasted sweet pumpkin chips

After some deliberation, I chose roasted sweet pumpkin chips as the gift for my parents. Since nationwide delivery is available, I'll order more by courier if they want to try other snacks too.

Sokcho Yetgokgan had a wide range of snacks that anyone, young or old, can enjoy without much fuss — from oranda and gangjeong to sweet pumpkin chips and buckwheat chips. With doraji syrup, sikhye, and hallabong juice also on offer, it was fun just browsing.

If you're looking for a snack souvenir from your Sokcho trip, or a gift for family or friends, Sokcho Yetgokgan is worth a visit. With such a wide variety of snacks, it was easy to pick something to suit your taste, and the free samples made tasting your way through the shop half the fun. I'd recommend it as an easy, affordable food find at Sokcho Jungang Market.