Gyeongju walnut pastry shop open on a pre-Chuseok Wednesday: Buja Hodu

Buja Hodu on Hwangnidan-gil, Gyeongju: no indoor seats, only parasol tables

I visited Buja Hodu, a dessert spot right at the entrance of Hwangnidan-gil in Gyeongju that's great for souvenir gift sets. There's no indoor seating, but there are plenty of parasols, tables and chairs set up outside. With the weather this nice lately, it's perfect for sitting down and eating right there!

Closed Wednesdays but open before Chuseok — call Buja Hodu first

Chuseok (Korean thanksgiving) is coming up soon, so even though Wednesday is normally the closing day, the shop was open. Wednesdays near the holidays can get busy with orders, so it might stay open — call ahead before you visit.

Buja Hodu menu: walnut pastries plus affogato and americano

It's not just walnut pastries — they also sell walnut ice cream affogato, walnut affogato, and americano blended and roasted by a Gyeongju coffee master. The walnut ice cream affogato in particular is a unique dessert on Hwangnidan-gil — walnut pastry + ice cream + coffee equals seriously delicious.

From 10 pieces, boxed gift packaging from 15 pieces

Here's the menu and pricing. Buja Hodu, a gift-set spot on Hwangnidan-gil in Gyeongju, sells from as few as 10 pieces. Boxed packaging starts at 15 pieces too, so it's easy to give as a light gift without any pressure. The original Buja Hodu comes with low-sugar red bean filling, plus pea cream cheese (great even for people who don't like red bean), matcha, and almond praline fillings.

15 original, 15 mix.

Delivery and Smart Store ordering are both available. If you've been prepping holiday gifts, this could be worth using.

Gift-ready boxes lined with wax paper

Walnut pastries that will put a smile on the receiver's face — open the box and there's wax paper lining it right away, which gives it a premium feel.

If I were giving these as a gift, I think I'd prefer the mix, where you can try all three flavors, over the original. All three flavors were delicious. The colors are so pretty too. Walnut pastries that look good taste good too!

Two boxes is even better. Hehehe, feels like being rich (buja).

I thought eating them one by one would be slow going, but one box disappeared in no time. 'Let's just taste one' turned into an empty box before I knew it. Put these out at a holiday gathering and they'll vanish fast — a guaranteed sellout item.

How Buja Hodu walnut pastries taste: whole walnut pieces, soft filling

These Gyeongju souvenir gift-set walnut pastries have a more generous filling. You get whole walnut pieces crunching through, finished off with a soft red bean / matcha / pea cream cheese filling! Goes really well with coffee or milk.

Don't forget to try the walnut pastry snack on Hwangnidan-gil in Gyeongju. Once you've had this, you'll think of Gyeongju every time you see walnut pastries at a rest stop.

Storage: 3 days at room temperature, 1 month frozen, thaw 30 minutes to 1 hour

Buja Hodu, a great snack and gift item from Hwangnidan-gil in Gyeongju, keeps for 3 days at room temperature or 1 month frozen. The box has storage instructions and tips for the best way to eat them.

I froze the originals too. After freezing, taking them out 30 minutes to an hour before eating meant I could enjoy them deliciously without a microwave or air fryer.

Still choosing a Gyeongju souvenir? Buja Hodu's verdict

If you skip Buja Hodu on Hwangnidan-gil in Gyeongju, you'll regret it — guaranteed! I recommend trying all three flavors. Once you taste them, you'll want to share them with people around you because they're too good to eat alone. Stop worrying about what Gyeongju souvenir to buy — just get Buja Hodu.

Hwangnidan-gil, Gyeongju — Buja Hodu, packed with walnuts to a 'rich' degree