Jeju café with an 8-flavor madeleine gift set: Today Jeju

When you come back from Jeju, tangerine chocolate is just so common, isn't it? You can even buy chocolate at the airport, so it somehow feels a little half-hearted?! So, if you're looking for a slightly special gift instead of tangerine chocolate, I picked up Today Jeju's Harubangne madeleines—the moment I saw them, I thought, “These would make such nice gifts.”

Cute dol hareubang (Jeju stone grandfather) madeleines found in Jeju

Where is Today Jeju Shilla Duty Free Shop Jeju Branch?

The place I visited this time was Today Jeju Shilla Duty Free Shop Jeju Branch. It would be easy to assume it is inside Shilla Duty Free Shop, but it is actually an independent store on the first floor of the Shilla Duty Free Shop parking tower building.

You can use the Shilla Duty Free Shop parking tower, and parking is free, which was convenient. Above all, it is fairly close to the airport, so it seemed like a good stop for picking up gifts or souvenirs on the last day of a Jeju trip. Sure enough, there were lots of tourists around the store carrying Today Jeju shopping bags.

The first thing that caught my eye as soon as I walked in was, of course, the colorful dol hareubang-shaped madeleines! They have such a distinctly Jeju look that they felt clearly different from an ordinary dessert gift.

What flavors are in the eight Harubangne madeleines?

The fun of choosing from eight flavors at once

I chose the Harubangne Madeleine 8-Flavor Gift Set. It includes eight flavors: hallabong citrus, matcha, carrot, prickly pear, Earl Grey, black sesame, chocolate, and fig. I liked that it was not made up of just one flavor—you can choose according to your taste. When my family tried them too, we all had completely different favorites, haha.

My six-year-old liked the prickly pear flavor best, while my husband liked matcha the most. Personally, chocolate was my favorite. Chocolate is always right!! Trying them as a family really made me realize how different everyone's tastes can be, haha. The flavors are not overly strong, so I don't think they would be very polarizing. That is actually why I liked the eight-flavor set :)

Why the packaging also makes it a great gift

Pretty packaging gives it that gift-worthy feel

Taste matters for Jeju souvenirs, of course, but I also care quite a bit about the packaging and presentation. When you open the Harubangne madeleines, the colors are pretty right away, and the dol hareubang shape really delivers that Jeju feeling, so I thought they would make a nice gift.

This time, I chose them while looking for a slightly special gift for an elderly woman in my neighborhood who takes such good care of my child and me. After trying them myself, I was happy with the range of flavors and the pretty packaging. Gift paper shopping bags are also available separately, so it was convenient not to need extra wrapping.

Be sure to check how to store the madeleines

There is one thing to keep in mind. Harubangne madeleines do not use preservatives or additives, so they do not have a particularly long shelf life. They keep for five days at room temperature or about one month frozen, and frozen madeleines can be eaten after thawing naturally. So if you are planning to give them as a gift, it may be best to buy them around the last day of your trip.

If you are looking for a gift to share with several people like I was, it could be fun to pick up one eight-flavor set and have everyone find their own favorite.

If you are looking for a slightly special gift in Jeju

When you visit Jeju, it is easy to buy familiar souvenirs such as tangerines or tangerine chocolate. The Today Jeju Harubangne madeleines I tried this time felt like a nice choice when I wanted to give something a little different, with their Jeju-style dol hareubang design and eight flavors. Most of all, after trying them, I liked that everyone from children to adults could choose a flavor they enjoyed.

If you are wondering, “Isn't there a pretty gift I can get this time?” during your Jeju trip, I felt the Harubangne Madeleine Set was quite a good option—a gift that makes the giver happy too and lets the recipient remember their Jeju trip.