Hangwa

Yumilgwa

Basic Info:

Hangwa is general term for “traditonal Korean snack” and it is made from many different ingredients such as honey, grains, sugar and fruits. There are many different varieties of hangwa, including yumilgwa, suksilgwa, gwapyeon, dasik, yeot and gangjung. Hangwa is not very healthy, but comparing to modern day snacks, they are much healthier.

History:

Gwapyeon

Hangwa was first introduced in the Korean history in 12^th century and at that time, they were expensive, meaning they were eaten only by high-class people. Interestingly, hangwa was used to interact with other nations such as China. For example, it is recorded that when a Korean prince visited to China to attend to a wedding, he was greatly appraised because of the hangwa he brought to the wedding. This shows how a simple thing such as food, could improve a relationship between two nations.

Suksilgwa

CCOT:

Over time, hangwa became the traditional snack of Korea as it slowly became available to people of all classes. However, in the last two decades, Western style snacks have replaced hangwa and hangwa is losing its popularity. Even though the new generations are leaning more toward Western snacks, hangwa are still part of traditional Korean meals.

Experience:

Dasik

It may be hard to find hangwa in common grocery stores these days, but you can still purchase them in traditional stores at the shijang or find them in stores during holidays. In my experiences, I’ve always liked hangwa, and they are different from other types of snacks. Therefore, I strongly recommend hangwa to people who have not tried them, because they are unique and delicious.