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The Korea Times

A speciality cafe in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, is gaining attention for its unique focus on peanut butter.
The PCafe offers a variety of peanut butter products, including a 100 per cent peanut butter option freshly ground in front of customers.
“Some customers buy up to 30 jars at a time,” a staff member said, adding that about half of their customers are middle-aged, in addition to younger patrons.
A woman in her fifties visited the cafe on February 18 with her daughter. She said, “It’s trendy to spread peanut butter on apples these days, so we thought we’d give it a try,” and bought a jar to take home.

Peanut butter, once considered unfamiliar in Korea, has now become a kitchen staple. The trend began in 2024 when TV personality Choi Hwa-jung appeared on a YouTube channel and showed eating apples with peanut butter for breakfast.
In the United States and other countries, this combination is popular because the sweetness and tartness of apples complement the nutty richness of peanut butter.
It’s easy to mix with other foods, so we end up eating it often
Kim Hyun-jin, a 36-year-old homemaker
The growing perception of peanut butter as a healthy food has significantly increased demand.
“Peanut butter sales last year were about five times higher than the previous year (2023),” says an official from online shopping platform Market Kurly, adding that its potential to help regulate blood sugar has driven consumption, aligning with health trends like blood sugar diets and the “healthy pleasure” lifestyle.
“In particular, products made from 100 per cent peanuts without additives are experiencing rapid growth,” the official adds.
Peanut butter, long regarded as a high-calorie food unsuitable for dieting, is now praised for its healthy fats and proteins. Historically, peanut butter was recommended in US nursing homes in the 1890s as a soft, high-protein food for older adults with dental problems.
Additionally, the globally distributed emergency food product Plumpy’nut, made from peanuts, highlights its value as a high-calorie, nutrient-rich food.

“Peanuts are rich in protein and unsaturated fatty acids that are beneficial for vascular health,” says professor Hwang Hee-jin of Catholic Kwandong University International St Mary’s Hospital in Incheon, outside Seoul.
“When combined with apples, peanut butter can slow the rapid rise in blood sugar caused by apples, helping prevent blood sugar spikes.”
However, moderation is key. “Peanut butter does not directly lower blood sugar. While its fat content can create a feeling of fullness and reduce overall food intake, its high-calorie content makes it unsuitable as a diet food,” warns Professor Kang Jae-heon of Kangbuk Samsung Hospital in Seoul.
American nutritionists recommend a daily intake of about two tablespoons, or 16 to 32 grams.

Peanut butter’s versatility has also inspired a wave of culinary creativity on social media. Recipes such as peanut butter banana smoothies, peanut butter coffee and peanut butter paired with bread, yogurt and nuts are widely shared.
“There are many ways to enjoy peanut butter that appeal to both children and adults,” says Kim Hyun-jin, a 36-year-old homemaker. “It’s easy to mix with other foods, so we end up eating it often.”
Peanut butter even pairs well with traditional Korean ingredients like doenjang (soybean paste) and gochujang (red chilli paste).
Social media users are sharing unique recipes such as peanut butter gochujang stir-fried squid, doenjang peanut butter salad and doenjang peanut butter ssamjang (dipping sauce made from doenjang and gochujang).

Chef Edward Lee, known for his stint on the hit Netflix show Culinary Class Wars, recently appeared on Edward Lee’s Country Cook, broadcast in South Korea by tvN, and prepared a chicken dish using doenjang, soy milk and peanut butter.
“Influencers on YouTube are spreading lifestyle trends faster than ever before,” says Choi Ji-hye, a researcher at Seoul National University’s Consumer Trend Analysis Center and co-author of 2025 Trend Korea.
“Consumers are increasingly considering not only the taste of food but also its ingredients and health effects. This ‘healthy pleasure’ trend is expected to continue influencing food choices in Korea.”
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.
Read the full story at The Korea Times.


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Food & Drink

South Korea has fallen for peanut butter, having it on apples, in smoothies and coffee and even adding it to chilli paste and soybean paste


South Korea has fallen for peanut butter, having it on apples, in smoothies and coffee and even adding it to chilli paste and soybean paste.
