Gyeongju’s Famous Breads: Warm, Handcrafted, and World-Ready
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
In Gyeongju, traditional breads like Gyeongju-bbang and Hwangnam-bbang—made since the late 1930s—remain local icons for their hand-crafted red bean (pat) fillings and thin, delicate crusts best enjoyed warm. The writer strolls the serene Daereungwon tumuli (ancient burial mounds) before trying popular treats including the coin-shaped Sipwon-bbang and barley-based chalbori-bbang. Skilled bakers shape and stamp each bun by hand, preserving an 80-year craft whose natural sweetness won praise even from foreign dignitaries at the 2025 APEC summit—reportedly including China’s Xi Jinping. The article argues that for Gyeongju’s breads to become global favorites like Portuguese egg tarts, producers need consistent hygiene standards (e.g., HACCP) and transparent pricing to build trust while keeping artisanal traditions alive.
