Why Koreans are going crazy for bread and how bakeries have become destinations
From Seoul to Jeju, from bagels to buns, bread is so popular in Korea that the phrase for ‘bread pilgrimage’ has entered everyday language
By Pyo Kyung-min
Along Jeju’s serene beaches, a bustling line forms not for the view but for a single, somewhat unexpected purpose: to buy bagels from the South Korean island’s famed branch of the London Bagel Museum.
Here, the scent of freshly baked bread drifts through the sea air as visitors hold empty trays in anticipation. For many, the first bite into the bagel – chewy, fermented dough wrapped around thick, salty cream cheese – is less about hunger than the reward for patience.
Scenes like this now play out across Korea. From the southern island of Jeju to the hipster streets of Seoul’s Seongsu-dong and the mid-sized city of Daejeon, bakeries have become destinations as familiar as cafes or galleries.
Queuing for bread has turned into a modern ritual, and the term ppangji sullye, the Korean phrase for “bread pilgrimage”, has entered everyday language.