Nonsan strawberry choco pie at Ssukseu Choco Pie, Gwangju bakery

Ssukseu Choco Pie is a dessert shop specializing in mugwort (ssuk) treats, and it's one of my favorite spots to grab as a bakery or café dessert whenever I'm looking for something to eat near Songjeong Station in Gwangju — plus it has cream filling, which I love. This time I picked up the 6-piece gift set to take home.

Where Ssukseu Choco Pie is and when it opens

• Address: 27 Songjeong-ro 8beon-gil, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, South Korea (1st floor)
• Hours: Mon–Fri 10:00–18:30, weekends 10:00–20:00

I naturally end up stopping by Ssukseu Choco Pie every time I visit 1913 Market.

Since this place specializes in mugwort desserts, it feels a bit different from a regular choco pie. Right from the entrance it's so green, haha — the space is full of green tones and just looking at it made me happy.

True to being a dedicated mugwort dessert shop, the store's whole atmosphere really carried that mugwort feel.

What comes in the 6-piece gift set

I chose the 6-piece gift set, which comes with a total of six flavors.

Best of all, each piece is individually sealed, so it was easy to take one out at a time.

You don't have to eat several at once, so it was also convenient to just keep it in the fridge and eat whenever.

My favorite: Nonsan strawberry

Out of the six flavors, my favorite is Nonsan strawberry, lol.

It has a refreshingly sweet-tart taste, so personally I kept reaching for it.

You'd think a mugwort dessert would have a strong mugwort scent, but when I tried it, the aroma wasn't overpowering at all.

The mugwort flavor came through only subtly, which paired well with the sweetness.

My son's pick: Gwangju real chocolate

My son's pick was, of course, the real chocolate flavor! Chocolate really is a combo kids can't resist, haha. He saw me eating mine and immediately wanted some too.

At first I planned to take them out one at a time, but the kids caught on right away, lol. In the end I had to surrender it. ^^ Once I opened the bag, it was much easier just to let them hold the whole bag and eat straight from it — barely got their hands messy, and it worked out well as a snack.

Jeju Udo peanut: nutty and light

The Jeju Udo peanut flavor also stuck with me.

Instead of being sweet, it leaned nutty and light, which gave it a different kind of appeal. I especially liked being able to feel the texture of the peanuts. I'm personally a fan of that nutty flavor too, so I enjoyed this one just as much.

I also liked being able to mix and match flavors for a gift. Of course gifting is nice, but honestly I preferred just eating them one by one as my own snack, haha.

How subtle is the mugwort aroma?

Because Ssukseu Choco Pie uses mugwort, eating it somehow felt healthy. That said, it's not the style where the mugwort aroma is overpowering.

The mugwort flavor comes through subtly, so it was easy to eat without feeling heavy. With the cream filling it's also soft, and it went really well with coffee.

So it was also great to pick up as a bakery snack after eating or looking around at 1913 Market. It works well as a café dessert to enjoy with coffee too.

Individually sealed pies make easy snacks

What I liked about the 6-piece gift set was the individual packaging. Each piece is sealed on its own, which made it convenient to eat.

It's good for people like me who take them out one at a time, and it was also convenient for giving to the kids as snacks. Especially when they wanted some, I could just open the bag and hand it over — simple, haha.

How to store them

If you pack several, it's good to separate the ones you'll eat right away from the ones you'll store. When storing, it's best to check and follow the listed storage period.

What I thought after tasting Ssukseu Choco Pie

This is a dessert I think of every time I visit 1913 Songjeong Station Market. The mugwort aroma isn't strong and the cream filling makes it soft, so if you like mugwort desserts, it's fun to try different flavors. My favorite was Nonsan strawberry, and my son, predictably, picked the real chocolate, lol. Jeju Udo peanut had its own appeal with its nutty taste and peanut texture. The packaging was neat and individually sealed too, so it worked well as a gift. If you're looking for a bakery to grab something light at Songjeong Station near Gwangju, or a dessert to enjoy with coffee, Ssukseu Choco Pie is worth considering.

Things to know before you go

• The 6-piece gift set comes with six different flavors.
• Individual sealed packaging made it easy to eat one at a time.
• My favorite flavor was Nonsan strawberry.
• My son's favorite flavor was Gwangju real chocolate.
• Jeju Udo peanut was nutty and light with good peanut texture.
• The mugwort aroma wasn't strong — just subtle.
• The cream filling made it soft and paired well with coffee.
• Refrigerated storage is 8 days, frozen storage is 30 days.
• It's best to check the exact lineup in store, since it may vary.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of dessert is Ssukseu Choco Pie?

It's a dessert made with mugwort, with cream filling that makes it soft to eat.

What flavors come in the 6-piece gift set?

There are six flavors total: Geomundo sea-breeze mugwort, sea-breeze mugwort injeolmi, sea-breeze mugwort red bean, Jeju Udo peanut, Nonsan strawberry, and Gwangju real chocolate.

Which flavor did you like most?

I liked the Nonsan strawberry most — its refreshingly sweet-tart taste was appealing.

Which flavor did your child like?

My son liked the Gwangju real chocolate.

How should Ssukseu Choco Pie be stored?

Refrigerated storage is 8 days, and frozen storage is 30 days.