Sokcho market grain snack shop: 12-piece drive-home set, Ibuja Mayak

From kid snacks to Sokcho trip gifts — savory 5-color grain gangjeong at Ibuja Mayak Gotgan

On the morning we were heading home from Sokcho, it felt like a waste to just drive straight back, so I stopped by Sokcho Tourist and Fisheries Market (Sokcho Central Market) one more time. This time I bought some savory snacks to munch on in the car when I got hungry, plus small gifts for friends back home.

Wandering through the market alleys, I got pulled in by a savory smell and a colorful display — that's how I ended up at Ibuja Mayak Gotgan, a dessert shop in Sokcho. Here's my story.

Where is Ibuja Mayak Gotgan, and what are the parking and opening hours?

Ibuja Mayak Gotgan is in stall 137 on the first floor of Sokcho Central Market (Sokcho Tourist and Fisheries Market), right in the middle of the food alley. It opens at 8:30am and is closed every Wednesday.

• Location: 137, 1F, Sokcho Tourist and Fisheries Market, 16 Jungang-ro 147beon-gil, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do, South Korea
• Hours: Mon/Thu/Fri 08:30–19:30, Sat/Sun 08:30–20:00, closed every Wednesday
• Parking tip: use the public lot right across from the market (first 30 min ₩500, +₩500 per 30 min). Spend over ₩15,000 in-store for a free 30-minute parking voucher

It's right in the middle of the food alley in Sokcho Central Market, so it was really easy to find. And since it opens as early as 8:30am, it was a perfect stop before heading home — grab some snacks for the road.

What does the grain gangjeong at Sokcho Central Market taste like?

The grain gangjeong at Ibuja Mayak Gotgan wasn't sweet — it had a plain, savory flavor. After tasting a sample, I decided on the spot to make it our car snack. What I liked most was that it didn't stick to my teeth.

Walking past the shop, a savory smell drifted out and I couldn't just walk on by. I tried a sample, and it wasn't sweet — just plain and savory, the kind of taste that makes you keep reaching for another piece.

Turns out the grain gangjeong at Ibuja Mayak Gotgan takes quite a bit of care to make by hand. Best of all, it didn't stick to my teeth, and my kid loved it too — so it was decided: this was our snack for the drive home!

With gangjeong to snack on along the way, my kid didn't even ask to stop and buy anything at the rest area haha.

• Steamed & hot-air dried: grains like buckwheat, sprouted brown rice, black rice, and barley are steamed and then dried with hot air.
• Aged for 6 months: they age the grains for a full 6 months to remove all the moisture, which is how it gets this crispy without being deep-fried, the shop explained.

How much is the 5-color grain gangjeong set as a Sokcho souvenir?

Ibuja Mayak Gotgan's 5-color grain gangjeong comes in an 8-piece set for ₩10,000 and a 12-piece set for ₩15,000. They say their principle is to make and sell it all on the same day.

The price was affordable too, so it was easy to hand out as a Sokcho trip gift without feeling like a burden.

• 5-color grain gangjeong, 8-piece set: ₩10,000
• 5-color grain gangjeong, 12-piece set: ₩15,000

With brown rice, black rice, buckwheat, white rice, and yellow rice, the colors were so pretty and vibrant — a healthy yet tasty handmade dessert. The friends I gave it to loved it too, saying it was plain and savory.

How do you make softened grain gangjeong crisp again at home?

If the gangjeong gets hard or soggy after a few days, they say you can microwave it for 20 seconds, or lightly pan-fry it over low heat with no oil.

If the gangjeong gets hard or soggy after a few days, try this:

• Microwave for 20 seconds: microwave for exactly 20 seconds, let it cool slightly, and it goes back to that crisp-outside, chewy-inside texture.
• Low-heat pan: lightly pan-fry with no oil over low heat, and it gets a savory scorched-rice aroma that makes it even tastier.

If you're heading to Sokcho and looking for a healthy snack the whole family can enjoy together, save Ibuja Mayak Gotgan on your list of Sokcho Central Market spots to try!