Sokcho café rice snacks crisp again in 20 sec: Ibuja Mayak Gotgan

Whenever I return from a trip to Sokcho, I somehow end up carrying food home in both hands. This time, while looking for something good at Sokcho Central Market amid the especially Friday-sized crowds, I happened upon a handmade rice gangjeong (puffed grain confection) shop that suited my taste perfectly.

If you are looking for a wholesome Sokcho Central Market snack that everyone, young and old, can enjoy, I hope this visit to Ibuja Mayak Gotgan makes choosing food for your Sokcho trip a little easier.

Ibuja Mayak Gotgan: key visit information

• Address: 16 Jungang-ro 147beon-gil, Sokcho Tourist & Fishery Market, 1F, Unit 137, Sokcho-si, Gangwon State, South Korea
• Hours: Weekdays 08:30–19:30 / Weekends 08:30–20:00
• Closed: Every Wednesday
• What makes it special: Steamed, hot-air dried, and aged for six months for a clean finish that does not stick to your hands
• Parking tip: If you parked at the Sokcho Tourist & Fishery Market parking lot, be sure to ask the owner for a parking discount voucher when you pay!

How to find Unit 137 in the busy market

At first, I opened Naver Map and walked into the market, but the directions suddenly ended once the distance between my starting point and destination got too short. With the market packed wall-to-wall on a Friday, finding the exact spot was quite difficult.

When that happens, do not panic—look up at the round signs hanging overhead! Use the circular yellow sign marked “No.19” as your landmark and keep following it, and you should be able to find Unit 137 easily without getting lost.

Five handmade rice gangjeong flavors chosen by tasting

The counter in front of the shop was neatly lined with five kinds of handmade rice gangjeong: brown rice, buckwheat, white rice, black rice, and yellow rice. The different grain colors were enough to whet my appetite before I had even tasted them.

What especially caught my eye was the careful production process written on the shop sign. Selected grains are steamed, dried with hot air, then aged for a full six months to completely remove any remaining moisture from the grains.

If you are wondering which variety to choose, there is also a tasting corner in front of the counter. Being able to try them myself and pick the gangjeong that best suited my taste without any risk of choosing wrong was such a draw.

A large red notice on the sign also said, “Produced and sold the same day,” which made me trust its hygiene and freshness even more. The 8-piece set was ₩10,000 and the 12-piece set was ₩15,000, and I chose two bags of the 8-piece set to share generously with my family.

A mild gangjeong that dieters and children enjoyed

When I opened the package at our accommodation, the gangjeong still felt wonderfully high quality: crisp on the outside and full inside. The moment I took a bite, I was very pleased—it was not overly sweet like ordinary store-bought gangjeong, while the grains’ own mild flavor came through. I especially loved that there was not too much syrup on it, so it did not stick unpleasantly to my hands.

The most surprising thing was my family’s reaction. My younger sibling, who is very careful about managing their diet these days, kept reaching for more, saying, “This doesn’t feel heavy because it isn’t fried and it isn’t too sweet!”

And seeing my niece or nephew, who normally loves sweets, happily clutch a huge black-rice gangjeong as big as their face in both hands, I could tell it was a snack that even picky children could enjoy comfortably—not just adults.

How to make softened gangjeong crisp again

When you buy plenty of gangjeong, storage is always a concern, so I really wanted to share the kind owner’s advice on how to enjoy it deliciously even after some time has passed. If the gangjeong becomes hard or soft because of the weather or humidity, try one of these two methods!

• Use a microwave: Put the gangjeong on a plate, microwave it for exactly 20 seconds, then let it cool slightly before eating.
• Use a frying pan: Lightly toast it in a frying pan heated over low heat, without oil. A warm nurungji (scorched rice) aroma will waft up, and you can enjoy an even deeper flavor.

After our family trip, I got home and thought the gangjeong had become slightly soft, so I microwaved it for 20 seconds just as the owner had told me. It was honestly amazing: the crisp-outside, tender-inside texture from when I first bought it came right back, and I could enjoy every last bite crunchy.

If you are looking for a wholesome snack or food gift at Sokcho Central Market, this seems like a good option.