Gyeongju fruit mochi shop, red bean kiwi and soggy mango: Tareudang

If you're looking for a hot dessert spot in Hwangnidang-gil, Gyeongju, you've probably heard of Tareudang! It's a place selling fruit mochi in the trendy Hanjeongseon style. I saw the whole-fruit-inside visuals on social media and got curious, so I followed the trend and went to check it out haha.

Where is Tareudang, and what are its hours?

Tareudang is located at 49 Sajeong-ro, in Hwangnidang-gil, Gyeongju. It's open daily 11:00–19:00, closes early once ingredients run out, and offers takeout and reservations.

The weekend sellout and the 4:30pm second batch

Living up to its hot-spot reputation, there was quite a line when I visited, and the fruit mochi kept selling out. Unfortunately I arrived after the first batch was gone, so I couldn't buy right away — I waited for the second batch, which came out at 4:30pm on that weekend, and bought then.

It's that popular, so if you're planning to visit, I'd recommend either coming early or timing your arrival with when the next batch drops, so you wait less! Gyeongju was hotter than I expected that day, it was tough haha.

The three fruit mochi I picked, and the 500 won discount

I bought three kinds of Tareudang fruit mochi: mango, peach, and kiwi! There were also other seasonal fruits available like fig and pineapple, and buying 4 or more mochi gets you ₩500 off each. The charm of fruit mochi is really how the flavor and texture change depending on which fruit you pick.

Hanji wrapping that works as a gift

The packaging had that trendy Hanjeongseon feel too. Each mochi was individually wrapped in colorful hanji (traditional mulberry paper), and between the mochi itself and the cute wrapping, it would make a great gift too haha. If you're stuck in the countryside and can't get Hanjeongseon, go buy Tareudang in Hwangnidang-gil instead!

The mango mochi went soggy after 3 hours

Tareudang's fruit mochi is made with high-sweetness seasonal fruit, so the fruit's own flavor really matters. The fruit itself is sweet, but the outer mochi is chewy and there's soft cream inside, giving a texture quite different from just eating the fruit plain. It felt like eating fruit as a chewier, softer dessert!

But I ate it about 3 hours after buying, at home, and the mango — which had the most moisture of what I picked — got a bit soggy haha. If you're a tourist traveling far, I'd recommend getting a cooler bag! Still, the fruit's moisture and the cream's softness went well with the mochi, so it was lighter to eat than I expected!

Red bean paste inside Tareudang's kiwi mochi

Tareudang's kiwi mochi has red bean paste along with the cream. Kiwi has that distinct tangy flavor, so it feels different from mango or peach! If you like tangy fruit, kiwi seems like a good pick. Kiwi with red bean...? I was a little skeptical at first, but it seemed meant to add red bean's sweetness to the tangy kiwi haha.

Peach mochi was the best of the three

Surprisingly, peach suited my taste best! 🍑 Even after time passed, it didn't lose its shape much, and the fruit's own sweetness was so good...!! The peach's subtle sweetness and fragrant flavor really matched the cream and mochi. Fruits with a strong flavor like mango are delicious too, but the overall combination when eaten with mochi was especially good with peach. It's number one of the three.

How to buy fruit mochi at Tareudang

If you've been curious about the trendy Hanjeongseon-style fruit mochi, Tareudang's fruit mochi is worth trying at least once. Especially if you're looking for a hyped, line-up spot or the latest trending dessert in Hwangnidang-gil, this one's worth checking out!

But since the first batch can sell out like it did when I visited, if you have a specific fruit in mind, I'd recommend giving yourself extra time on weekends. If you're traveling around Gyeongju and want something different in Hwangnidang-gil, I recommend Tareudang's fruit mochi — chewy mochi, soft cream, and sweet seasonal fruit all at once. 🍑🥭🥝 And personally, I especially recommend the peach flavor.

Next time I'd like to try the seasonal fruit mochi I missed this time, like fig or pineapple!