Gyeongju walnut pastry shop with in-store tasting samples: Buja Hodu

I visited Buja Hodu, a walnut pastry shop and dessert spot on Hwangnidan-gil in Gyeongju!

Where is Buja Hodu in Gyeongju, and what are its hours?

📍38 Poseok-ro 1095beon-gil, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongbuk

⏱️09:30 - 20:00

✔️Takeout, Smart Store, reservation

Buja Hodu, a favorite on Hwangnidan-gil, makes walnut pastries (hodu-gwaja) that are great both as gifts and to stock at home. Walnut pastries are a nice light snack for when you're feeling peckish! Getting a box like this to keep around means you always have something to nibble on, one piece at a time.

Buja Hodu's own original creation, the walnut ice cream affogato, layers walnut pastry, walnut ice cream, and coffee together — a refreshing menu item to cool off with.

Four walnut pastry flavors at Buja Hodu

Let me show you the variety of walnut pastries at Buja Hodu, a dessert favorite on Hwangnidan-gil in Gyeongju! There were four flavors available: low-sugar red bean, pea cream cheese, matcha, and almond praline. Since I visited in the late afternoon, the almond praline was sold out, so I packed a mix of the other three flavors. I imagine it would pair really well with a coffee too :)

The walnut pastry dough is made with 100% rice, so it's something you can enjoy without too much guilt. If you add it to a holiday gift set, they'll even wrap it carefully in a traditional bojagi cloth. Just at a glance, these pastries looked bigger than the typical ones I know!

With a whole walnut inside, 100% rice dough, and low-sugar red bean paste, these are walnut pastries you can snack on without much worry. They're genuinely delicious, so if you're on Hwangnidan-gil, grab a bag and eat one right away!

Which flavors to pick after the in-store tasting

While I was deciding on flavors, I got to taste samples of the walnut pastries. There's a whole walnut tucked inside each pastry, and it was genuinely delicious.

There were also outdoor tables where you could eat something light right there, but I had mine packed up as a gift set :)

Buja Hodu is popular for Chuseok gift sets and you can buy in store, by delivery, or through their Smart Store, so it's worth a visit ^^

Buja Hodu's 24-piece box and how to store it

Since I was planning to eat these at home, I went with the boxed 24-piece set rather than the instant pack. I'd recommend freezing rather than refrigerating, then reheating in an air fryer.

The box states 100% domestic rice, and even though there are plenty of walnut pastry shops nearby these days, this was the first place I've seen that puts in a whole walnut!

The packaging felt upscale, so I'd recommend it for a light Chuseok gift!

When you order the boxed set from Buja Hodu, everything comes individually wrapped like this, which makes it easy to store and lets you pick out whichever flavor you're in the mood for.

My parents were happy with it too, so I'm planning to buy it again next time I'm on Hwangnidan-gil. Having a whole walnut inside every single piece is the real strength of Buja Hodu!

I ordered a mix of flavors, so my box had three different kinds inside.

Buja Hodu is great for when you're craving a snack and want to grab one without any fuss.

Low-sugar red bean paste and whole walnut texture

The pastries themselves are on the bigger side, so even two is enough to feel full. Red bean paste can sometimes be overly sweet, but since they use low-sugar paste here, it was easy to eat without feeling overwhelmed.

This is the classic, most basic red bean walnut pastry — and with Buja Hodu, you really have to look at the cross-section, because the walnut inside is whole. The outside is crisp, the inside soft, and the crunch of the walnut makes for a wonderful texture. It's great fresh, but honestly still delicious even after it cools.

With a whole walnut like this inside, walnut lovers should definitely give it a try ^^

Great for gifting and just as great to keep stocked at home — I'd recommend visiting Buja Hodu, a dessert favorite on Hwangnidan-gil in Gyeongju ❤️