Gyeongju walnut pastry shop, gold-foil box and freezer tip: Buja Hodu

Looking for a Gyeongju souvenir that isn't Gyeongju bread?

For my Gyeongju souvenir, I skipped Gyeongju bread (gyeongjuppang, red bean pastry) and chal-borippang (glutinous barley bread) and went to Buja Hodu (부자호두), a walnut pastry shop on Poseok-ro in Gyeongju. I visited in person and bought the 24-piece mix set, which lets you try several flavors at once.

When you travel to Gyeongju, you always end up picking up a little something to hand out to family, friends and coworkers, right? Gyeongju bread and chal-borippang are fine, but after buying them a few times I started wondering if there was a dessert gift that felt a bit more unusual and upscale, haha.

I was looking for something with stylish packaging that people of all ages would like, and that led me to Buja Hodu, which is becoming the rising star of Gyeongju souvenirs these days! The owner was so kind, and everything from the box to the quality of the walnut pastries felt really premium, so it was perfect as a gift, haha. Here's my honest, totally satisfied review!

What were Buja Hodu's location and service like?

Buja Hodu is in an easy spot to reach from downtown Gyeongju and the main tourist routes. The storefront looks clean and neat, so it stood out even from a distance, and the moment I opened the door the owner greeted me in a bright, warm voice >.<

While I was deciding on a gift set, the owner explained each flavor and even how to store them, one by one. They were so incredibly kind that I felt good the whole time I was buying, haha. Getting such warm service while traveling really sticks in your memory!

What's in the Buja Hodu 24-piece mix set, and how is it packaged?

The Buja Hodu 24-piece mix set combines signature flavors such as original red bean, red bean butter and cream cheese. The menu also had boxes with just one flavor, but my number one pick was definitely the one where you can taste a bit of everything.

• Item bought: Buja Hodu 24-piece mix set
• Flavors: original red bean, red bean butter, cream cheese and more
• A colorful combination of signature flavors

The moment I picked up the box, it felt nicely heavy. The packaging isn't some tacky ordinary paper box but a sturdy, stylish premium material! It has gold-foil accents and a neat logo, so you can hand it over in the shopping bag without wrapping it at all. Seriously, I highly recommend it as a gift, lol.

When I opened the box, 24 walnut pastries were lined up neatly, one in each compartment. Having a mix of flavors in the set was a real stroke of genius!

When you get walnut pastries as a gift, they're usually all one flavor, and you can get tired of them, right? Buja Hodu's mix set ranges from classic red bean to red bean butter, with savory butter sandwiched in, and a sweet-and-salty cheese lineup, so picking them out one by one was a lot of fun, haha. You don't have to worry about the recipient's taste because it satisfies everyone, so I highly recommend it!

How do Buja Hodu's walnut pastries taste?

Buja Hodu's walnut pastries have big whole walnuts inside and the filling is packed in with no gaps. At home I brewed a hot cup of coffee and finally dug in. First I split one in half, and it wasn't just a thick shell of dough.

Biting in, the outside was moist and soft, and the walnut crunched so that a nutty richness spread through my whole mouth! In the red bean butter one, the flavor of quality butter gently wrapped the sweetness of the red bean, and it was a work of art, while the cheese one burst with sweet-and-salty charm and paired perfectly with coffee.

It isn't just artificially sweet; the natural flavor of the ingredients comes through in a refined way, so I think it would also work as a snack for older folks or a nutritious snack for kids.

How to store and reheat leftover walnut pastries

The owner also shared a handy tip: put leftover Buja Hodu walnut pastries in the freezer, then thaw them naturally before eating or warm them briefly in an air fryer at 180°C, and they turn crispy outside and moist inside like freshly baked, haha. When I actually warmed one up a little, the butter aroma came back subtly and the crispness returned as if freshly baked, so I enjoyed every last piece.

How did people react to it as a Gyeongju thank-you gift?

When I gave the Buja Hodu 24-piece mix to friends after my Gyeongju trip, the reaction was the best ever, with people asking, "Where did you buy such classy walnut pastries?" lol. The owner's warm smile, the carefully made flavor and the premium packaging all came together perfectly.

If you're visiting Gyeongju and looking for an uncommon, tasteful souvenir gift set, or a thank-you gift in nice packaging, definitely stop by Buja Hodu!

Rather than single-flavor boxes, choose the 24-piece mix set so you can enjoy a variety of flavors, and you won't regret it >.<