Korean baked goods

Korean Bread

Place of origin	South Korea
Region or state	East Asia
Associated cuisine	South Korea

• Korean breads (빵, “bbang”) and baked goods originated in South Korea

French bread was first introduced in South Korea in the 1980s with the established of the bakery chain Paris Baguette. Traditionally Koreans didn’t eat bread like Western countries other than some types of steamed breads, which were often mixed with rice flour and wheat. Bread that was introduced by bakery chains wanted to introduce a French style bread to the Korean market that initially did not exist. The breads that were created were a fusion of French cuisine and technique and Korean flavours.

Characteristics

• structure of bread
• how it differs from western bread

Asian style buns are soft, springy and sweet. Aside from softer varieties like the brioche, Asian breads differ greatly from traditional European breads, which have a harder crust and a dry, salty crumb. In Western-style bread has zero fat and the main components are flour, salt and water. Asian style bread on the other hand is high in fat and sugar, which together give the bread the soft texture.

Korean baked breads are very soft and typically drizzled with condensed milk. Commonly breads take the form of a stuffed bun, the most typical fillings are red-bean. Many resemble items found in a French bakery, however most feature Asian flavours fused with Western baking techniques.

Mi Young Lee, the East Coast Manager for the South Korea based bakery chain, Tous Les Jours, described the items sold in Korean bakeries resembles items found in a French bakery but feature Asian flavours fused with Western baking techniques. "The result is a fascinating array of pastries, both sweet and savoury, that appeal to both Eastern and Western palates.”

Chains like Paris Baguette and Tours Les Jours are at the forefront of developing new flavours and variations in Korean bread and have been introducing items that harness flavours like red bean, green and sesame.

Varieties

A Korean bakery typically offers over 300 different items.The most common and popular items include “gyeran bbang” (egg bread) and “soboro” buns (a type of streusel). Many are and sweet, much like a brioche. Rarely do Korean bakeries offer dense, multigrain loaves you would expect to find at a European or Western bakery.

• Honey-butter toast
• Sweet and Savoury. Key flavours: red bean, cream cheese
• traditional breads- gyeongu bread

Types of Breads

[List with photos]

Similar Products

• Similar bakeries in western and other asian countries - Breadtop
• Chinese/Japanese breads 包子
• Attach links to other pages

• 
  Gyeranppang (계란빵) Egg Bread
• 
  Gyeongju Bread
• 
  Chalbori-ppang (찰보리빵) Glutinous Bakery Bread
• 
  Kkulppang (꿀빵) Honey Bread
• 

History

• Influenced by French culture. Fusion of Korean cuisine/taste palettes Korean cuisine  

• Year it originated and growth in Korean and global market

Traditionally bread has not been a part of Korean cuisine or diet, as it has been the staple in Western and European countries. Some types of steamed breads made of a mix of wheat and rice flour have been a part of Korean and Asian diets, however these were introduced from Central Asian in the 13^th century.

• Modernisation of Korean cuisine grew in the 1980s and the 1990s. The gradual opening of South Korean markets internationally over this period allowed for even greater amounts of grain-based products to enter the diets of Koreans along with other foods. This changed the basic diet of Koreans greatly in the past several decades. Rice consumption has decreased markedly: according to statistics compiled by the National Statistical Office per capita annual rice consumption has decreased from 128.1 kg in 1985 to 106.5 kg in 1995 to 83.2 kg in 2003. This steady decline reflects the increased prominence of other foods such as instant foods, processed meals and the increasing use of bread and noodles in meals. Bread in Korea also signifies a social change as more and more young people are choosing the convenience and affordability of bread over other traditional snacks.
  

Franchises

Franchises Paris Baguette and Tous Les Jours are leaders in the Korean baked goods market. Paris Baguette first store in Korea opened in 1988. As of 2018 Paris Baguette has over 3,316 stores in South Korea and has launched 185 stores internationally in countries such as China, Vietnam, Singapore and France. Tous Les Jours was established in 1996 and has over 1300 locations in Asia and the USA.

Paris Baguette, leading South Korean bakery