Gwangju souvenir choco pie shop near Songjeong Station: Ssukseu Choco

One thing that's always a little tricky when heading out of Gwangju is finding a souvenir or gift you can only get here. Ssukseu Choco Pie is exactly what I'd recommend for that. I had a reason to be near Gwangju Songjeong Station this time, so I stopped by the Ssukseu Choco Pie Gwangju store inside 1913 Songjeong Station Market to pick up a package.

Actually this wasn't my first time trying it — I'd had it before and liked it so much I've kept some stocked in the freezer as a snack for my kids. Every time I eat it, I wonder why it isn't as famous as Jeonju choco pie, because I honestly love Ssukseu Choco Pie that much.

Where is Ssukseu Choco Pie in Gwangju?

Ssukseu Choco Pie Gwangju is located at 27 Songjeong-ro 8beon-gil, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, inside the alley of 1913 Songjeong Station Market. It's right in the market in front of Gwangju Songjeong Station, so it's an easy stop to pack a box before or after catching a train.

• A great dessert to pick up near Gwangju Songjeong Station
• Gift sets available in 3 or 6 pieces
• Clean individual packaging, good for Gwangju souvenirs or gifts
• Not overly sweet — a gentle sweetness
• Stays soft even after being frozen and thawed
• A snack that works for adults and kids alike

Just park in the 1913 Songjeong Market parking lot and walk into the market. Parking is free for 1 hour, and you just register your license plate at the store.

Walk down the alley of 1913 Songjeong Station Market and you'll spot the green "Sooks" sign.

The store itself is decorated all in green, so it stands out more than you'd expect. It's close to Gwangju Songjeong Station too, making it a convenient stop to grab a Gwangju souvenir before heading home after your trip.

Inside the store: more than just choco pies

The Ssukseu Choco Pie Gwangju store is on the small side, with products arranged around a display case.

I thought it was only choco pies, but there were quite a few other kinds too — scones, cookies, cakes.

Their principle is thawing and selling the same day, and there was detailed information about the ingredients on display. I was especially impressed that they disclose exactly what ingredients they use, right down to the eggs.

How much is a Ssukseu Choco Pie gift set?

The Ssukseu Choco Pie gift sets are ₩13,400 for 3 pieces and ₩24,800 for 6 pieces. You can build the set with not just choco pies but also scones and cookies.

You can check the menu and prices at the display case, and see the photos below for the detailed menu explanations.

There's also a free sticker service you can stick on the package, which seemed nice for wrapping it up for a birthday or a thank-you gift.

If you visit, grab this too: write a Naver receipt review and you get a 3-piece Ssukseu cookie sampler, and apparently you can join even with just a single purchase.

What's in the six-flavor gift set?

The wrapping is clean, so it's really nice for gifting 💚

The set I packed from Ssukseu Choco Pie Gwangju this time had 6 flavors total.

• Geomundo sea-breeze mugwort
• Sea-breeze mugwort injeolmi (rice cake style)
• Sea-breeze mugwort with whole red bean
• Nonsan strawberry
• Udo peanut
• Gwangju real chocolate

Each one comes in its own individual box, which makes storing them easy and also makes it clean to hand one to each person.

Above all, the green gift box looks quite upscale, so when you're wondering what to bring back from Gwangju, this really seemed like a solid gift option.

How do Ssukseu choco pies taste?

The biggest reason I love Ssukseu Choco Pie is that it's not very sweet. Whenever I share it with adults, everyone oddly says something similar.

"I like that it's not overwhelming." "I like that it's not too sweet." "It's gently sweet, so I keep thinking about it." That's exactly how I feel too.

You'd expect a choco pie to be really sweet, but instead of the sweetness hitting you all at once, you actually taste the ingredients, with a gentle sweetness underneath. Personally I feel like "a healthy kind of sweet" is the phrase that fits this choco pie best.

From mugwort to whole red bean, injeolmi, strawberry, peanut, and chocolate, each flavor has a clearly different cross-section, so it's fun to buy several, cut them open, and taste your way through.

Honestly, to my taste, this was way better than Jeonju choco pie. So every time I eat it, I really can't figure out why it isn't as famous as Jeonju choco pie yet haha. I hope more people find out that Gwangju has a souvenir like this too.

Keeping the choco pies in the freezer for kids' snacks

At our house we sometimes stock Ssukseu Choco Pie in the freezer as a snack for the kids. Even after being frozen, it comes out soft rather than hard, so it's easy to just pull one out and eat it.

Above all, since it isn't overly sweet, I liked it as a kids' snack too. It's also nicely individually packaged, so personally I think it could work well for bulk orders for a daycare or kindergarten event snack.

Is Ssukseu Choco Pie worth it as a Gwangju souvenir?

• Recommended if you're looking for a Gwangju souvenir or gift dessert
• Close to Gwangju Songjeong Station, convenient to pack before or after a trip
• Individually wrapped plus a gift box, easy to share with several people
• A gentle sweetness rather than sharp — that's the appeal
• A dessert adults and kids can both enjoy together

Just like Jeonju automatically brings choco pie to mind, I hope Ssukseu Choco Pie becomes famous enough that Gwangju comes to mind the same way someday. If you're near Gwangju Songjeong Station looking for a Gwangju souvenir or gift dessert to pack, it might be worth trying :)