Misa low-sugar gelato with a rich, clean finish: Damgeum Gelato

I love gelato, so whenever I hear a place is good, I tend to go check it out. This time I was searching around Misa and came across Damgeum Gelato Misa Branch (담금젤라또 미사점).

A date visit to Damgeum Gelato Misa Branch in Hanam

I went as a date as well, and even though I've eaten a fair amount of gelato in my life, this place felt a bit different the moment I walked in.

There was so much explanation about the gelato that I was already looking forward to it before even taking a bite.

Certified by the Italian government — that made me even more curious

Parking was easy — you park in the building and pick up a parking voucher at the store. Damgeum Gelato is certified by the Italian government, and it's made directly by a gelatiere trained professionally in Italy.

Honestly, I'm not the type to assume something is delicious just because of certifications or credentials. But once I actually tasted it, I understood why they talk about the ingredients so much. If you love gelato, hearing that kind of explanation just raises your expectations, haha.

How the four gelato flavors tasted together

The four flavors I was curious about

That day I tried pistachio Bronte D.O.P., Venezuelan dark chocolate, Andong white pearl rice, and pure milk chocolate chip — four flavors total.

Some were familiar, like pistachio and dark chocolate, but others really stood out, like Andong white pearl rice. I also thought it was interesting how they use Korean ingredients within an Italian-style gelato.

Trying several flavors together instead of sticking to just one made Damgeum's style come through much more clearly.

The flavor was intense from the very first bite

My first thought after tasting it was, "Wow, this is rich."

It wasn't just intensely sweet — you could really taste the ingredients themselves. And strangely, after eating it, the aftertaste was really clean. With rich ice cream, a few bites in and the sweetness can linger in your mouth until you get sick of it.

With Damgeum, even switching between all four flavors didn't feel like a burden. Rich flavor, clean finish — that's what I liked most.

Why low-sugar gelato at Damgeum Gelato still tastes rich

Why it's low-sugar but still tastes rich

As I ate, I noticed the gelato was melting faster than I expected.

So I asked about it out of curiosity. They explained that this isn't gelato sweetened with sugar substitutes — it's genuinely low in sugar itself. As they reduce the sugar and fat, they add more of the actual ingredients to make up for the flavor. Ah, that's why it tasted so rich, I thought.

I've had other low-sugar ice creams before, and a lot of the time they were pricier but the flavor was just so-so, so I never went back. But Damgeum was different. Before I even heard the word "low-sugar," my first thought was simply that it was delicious gelato.

Why Damgeum Gelato serves gelato in a chilled bowl

The reason for the chilled bowl

Eating in the store, they served it in a bowl that had been kept cold in the fridge.

This surprised me at first too. They said low-sugar gelato is more sensitive to temperature and can melt a bit faster than regular gelato. Seeing them use a chilled bowl specifically made me curious about just how much they care about temperature. And sure enough, as I ate it, it did melt a bit faster. Once I heard the explanation about the low-sugar recipe and temperature, the chilled bowl I noticed at the start finally made sense. You could really feel their care for the gelato in these small details.

Is Damgeum Gelato worth it for gelato in Misa, Hanam?

They also mentioned they're running a Wadiz crowdfunding campaign for pint products so people can enjoy it at home. After trying it in the store, I thought keeping some at home wouldn't be a bad idea at all.

If you're looking for a dessert café in Hanam, or if you love gelato and like hopping around different spots, Damgeum Gelato Misa Branch is worth a visit. It's especially well suited to people who prefer gelato with rich ingredient flavor and a clean finish, rather than the overly sweet, chewy style.

It was also great to come with someone who loves gelato so we could pick out different flavors and share. It had been a while since I enjoyed such good gelato, and I had a really nice date on top of it. :)