Melon cream bread on evening sale at Mangwon bakery Boulangerie Copain

My partner and I had dinner in Mangwon-dong and suddenly wanted some good bread for dessert, so we stopped by Boulangerie Copain nearby.

This is the bakery that was featured on 'Life's Masters' (생활의달인) as a master of baguettes and croissants, so I'd always been curious about it, and since it happened to be close by, I finally visited.

Where is Boulangerie Copain, and what are its hours?

• Hours: Daily 10:00–22:00 (may close early if ingredients run out)
• Address: 115 Huiujeong-ro, 1st floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea

What is left on the shelves if you go in the evening?

As soon as I walked in, a savory, sweet bread smell drifted through the store.

Looking over the breads on display one by one, it was hard to decide what to pick. Each bread had a slightly different shape and was displayed so appetizingly that it was fun just to browse.

Since I visited in the evening, a lot of the bread had already sold out, so the display looked pretty empty. Still, several kinds were left so I could pick a few! If you want to see the full variety, I'd recommend visiting a bit earlier than evening :)

What kinds of bread does Boulangerie Copain bake?

Looking at what was left, there was angbutter (butter and red bean paste bread), lemon cake, financier, garlic cheese balls, corn cheese sausage croissant, colby jack sandwich, chocolate baguette, basil crunch, and pain de campagne.

There was also kouign-amann, melon cream bread, cinnamon crunch, brioche loaf, and croissants.

The refrigerated case also had raspberry and blueberry jam sauce, onion cream cheese sauce, banana pudding, and more — so beyond the usual bakery breads, there was a good range of dessert items to browse too.

The daily 19:00 time sale: up to 30% off

This place runs a time sale every day starting at 19:00, with discounts of up to 30%! If you're stopping by on your way home from work, don't miss the time sale in the evening :)

What time do the baguettes come out?

A sign said baguettes come out at 10am. Bread other than baguettes can apparently be bought even before 10am, so if you have your heart set on something specific, it's worth timing your visit accordingly!

An honest taste review

That day I picked melon cream bread, three salt breads, angbutter, and pain suisse.

Each bread was neatly packaged individually, so it was easy to carry, and I tried them one by one at home with coffee.

Salt bread (sogeum-ppang)

The salt bread was plain on the outside and moist inside!

There was a subtle nutty butter flavor with a salty finish, making it the kind of plain, addictive bread you keep reaching for.

Angbutter (red bean and butter bread)

The angbutter had sweet red bean paste and savory butter sandwiched between plain bread, and the combination worked well.

The sweetness of the bean paste and the smooth flavor of the butter paired well, making it perfect with coffee.

Melon cream bread

The melon cream bread had soft bread with sweet cream inside, making it great as a dessert. There was a subtle melon aroma so it didn't feel overly sweet — smooth and easy to eat.

Pain suisse

Finally, the pain suisse had that appealing crisp pastry texture. The first bite was crispy outside and soft inside, giving it a fun texture along with a nutty flavor.

Is Boulangerie Copain worth an evening trip?

Since I visited in the evening, not much bread was left, but I still enjoyed getting to try a few menu items I'd been curious about. As a bakery featured on 'Life's Masters,' I'd recommend Boulangerie Copain if you're looking for a great bakery in Mangridan-gil! Next time I'd like to visit a bit earlier and try the baguette myself :)