Geomundo sea-breeze mugwort pie at a Jongno bakery: Ssuk's Choco Pie

Hi, it's Judy~🧁

Gwangjang Market has so much to see, from famous foods like bindaetteok (mung bean pancake) and yukhoe (raw beef) to all kinds of snacks. This time I went looking for a slightly different Gwangjang Market dessert and tried Ssuk's Choco Pie! I usually like desserts made with mugwort, so I was curious what this would taste like — and it turned out to be a dessert quite different from the choco pie you usually imagine.

Where is Ssuk's Choco Pie Seoul? By Gwangjang Market's south gate 1

Ssuk's Choco Pie Seoul is located at 25 Jongno 32-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 1st floor. It's right by Gwangjang Market's south gate 1, so it was easy to find while browsing the market. It's also close to Exit 7 of Jongno 5-ga Station, so getting there by public transit was no trouble either.

Meeting Ssuk's Choco Pie at a Gwangjang Market must-visit

Ssuk's Choco Pie started in 2016 as Korea's first mugwort choco pie, apparently. What stood out was how it reinterprets Korean ingredients — local specialty products and daily-sourced ingredients — into a modern dessert. Mugwort in particular is an ingredient Korea has used and loved for a long time.

It was fun just to see mugwort applied to a choco pie in the first place, but what really caught my eye was that they don't just add mugwort flavoring — they use regional specialty ingredients to create multiple flavors. Another difference is that instead of marshmallow like a typical choco pie, it's packed with fresh cream. Since it's a chilled premium dessert, it's definitely a different experience from the usual room-temperature choco pie.

Flavor 1 of the Ssuk's 6-piece set: Geomundo sea-breeze mugwort

First up was Geomundo sea-breeze mugwort. This is the flavor that comes to mind first when you think of Ssuk's Choco Pie, so I started here. The subtle, fragrant flavor of the Geomundo sea-breeze mugwort blended with the soft cream let me really taste that distinctive mugwort aroma.

You'd think mugwort desserts might be too strong and polarizing, but paired with the choco pie's sweetness it felt surprisingly mellow. If it's your first time trying Ssuk's Choco Pie, this classic flavor is a good place to start.

Sea-breeze mugwort injeolmi (chewy rice cake) choco pie

Second was sea-breeze mugwort injeolmi (soybean powder rice cake). The mugwort-injeolmi combo gave this a very Korean feel.

The fragrant mugwort combined with injeolmi's distinctive nuttiness for a totally different vibe from the first flavor. It's sweet but also nutty, which personally I found like an interesting combination. If you usually like injeolmi or soybean-powder desserts, this pairing should suit you well too.

Sea-breeze mugwort whole red bean choco pie

Third was sea-breeze mugwort whole red bean. Mugwort and red bean is such a familiar pairing that I could guess the flavor easily, but eating it in choco pie form still felt fresh.

The fragrant mugwort and sweet red bean together made for a flavor that was familiar yet fun. Because it uses whole red beans, unlike the smooth-cream-only flavors, you get to enjoy little bits of red bean texture throughout. If you like mugwort desserts and red bean, this one should suit your taste.

Gwangju real chocolate choco pie

I thought this would be a good pick to share with someone who doesn't like mugwort. Centered on chocolate's rich, sweet flavor, the mood was completely different from the mugwort flavors.

After mugwort, injeolmi, and red bean, biting into the real chocolate completely reset my palate, which made switching between flavors fun.

Udo peanut choco pie

Fifth was Udo peanut. I like the nutty flavor peanuts bring, so I was personally curious about this one. The sweet dessert paired with peanut's nutty flavor and it worked better than I expected.

It's a totally different direction from mugwort's fragrant notes, so it clearly stood out even within the 6-piece set. If you usually like nutty-flavored desserts, Udo peanut is worth watching for.

Nonsan strawberry choco pie

Last was Nonsan strawberry. Of all six, this had the freshest, tartest feel. The sweet-yet-tart Nonsan strawberry flavor made for a completely different mood from the mugwort, red bean, and peanut flavors.

Eating several desserts in a row can get a bit sweet-fatigued, but strawberry's tartness made it a nice palate refresher in the middle.

What sets Ssuk's Choco Pie apart from a regular choco pie

What impressed me most about Ssuk's Choco Pie was how clear their story about ingredients is. Beyond mugwort, they use regional specialty products to create each flavor, and they seem to carefully consider every ingredient they use.

They also promote five healthy promises: no artificial coloring, no preservatives, no emulsifiers, no shortening, and no margarine. They use antibiotic-free, cage-free eggs and HACCP-certified ingredients, which gave the impression this is a place that really cares about what goes into the product.

Above all, Ssuk's Choco Pie is made in limited quantity in-store every day. That's what makes it a chilled fresh choco pie, somewhat different from the typical mass-produced choco pie.

Want a Gwangjang Market dessert? Get the Ssuk's 6-piece set

Trying the Ssuk's 6-piece set this time was great because I got to compare several flavors instead of just picking one.

• Geomundo sea-breeze mugwort — a great way to taste Ssuk's Choco Pie's signature flavor
• Sea-breeze mugwort injeolmi — nutty injeolmi flavor made it feel refreshingly different
• Sea-breeze mugwort whole red bean — a chance to enjoy the familiar mugwort-and-red-bean combo
• Gwangju real chocolate — a good match for anyone who loves rich chocolate
• Udo peanut — nutty flavor with a different kind of appeal
• Nonsan strawberry — tart flavor that made a nice palate refresher

If you're at Gwangjang Market and looking for something a bit more special than the usual snacks, check out Ssuk's Choco Pie. Especially if you want to try several flavors, going for the Ssuk's 6-piece set like I did is a great option. Both the idea of a mugwort dessert made with Korean specialty products and the chilled fresh-cream choco pie format felt like a fun, different experience from a regular choco pie~!