Pepero & Pepero Day – What Is It and Where To Buy

Pepero is one of the most famous cookies in Korea. But it is not just a cookie. There is a really huge phenomenon around it. That’s why it is one of Korea’s most loved snacks. Let’s see why there is so much hype about this simple cookie that brought about change to the Korean culture.

If you want to know more about famous Korean snacks and ramyeon (ramen), read Best Korean Snacks You Should Try and Best Korean Ramen You Must Try; Recipe & Calories. Moreover, here are the Top 10 Korean Subscription Boxes you will love. It will be a great present for you and your friends.

All About Pepero & Pepero Day

What is Pepero?

It is a chocolate-covered long stick-type cookie. The price is very cheap, around 1,500 KRW per box and you can find it everywhere in Korea. Pepero’s flavors started with basic tastes like chocolate, dark chocolate, almond, etc. And these days, over 10 flavors of Peperos are released. We will see more details in the next part.

What is Pepero Day?

If we can say just one reason for talking about the Pepero’s popularity it will be this one: The Pepero Day! Pepero Day officially launched in 1997 in Korea and takes place on November 11th, because of the numerals in the abbreviated form of the date 11/11. The number 1 looks like the Pepero stick.

In theory, on that day, the habit is to give Pepero to someone you like. Pepero is offered with the intention of displaying affection for friends and loved ones. But these days it’s really common to give Pepero as a gift to all your close relatives, friends, and colleagues. Between 2011 and 2014, the Pepero sales figures multiplied 83 times during the week before the Pepero Day. Pepero can also be given as a gift during Valentine’s Day so sales figures during this period increase by 9 times.

The Myth of the Pepero Day: Become skinny while eating Pepero

There is a story that Pepero Day originated from a high school in Busan. The High school girls shared Peperos with friends wishing to be skinny like Pepero. Of course, this is a myth that said eating Pepero on November 11 can make you as skinny as the sticky Pepero cookie. For a better result, some people waited until the time reaches 11:11 o’clock. It’s funny.

Lastly, for celebrating Pepero Day, the vendor of the cookie, Lotte organizes an event every year with a lot of prizes to win.

What is the difference between Pocky and Pepero?

The Korean chocolate snack Pepero is often compared to “Pocky,” the Japanese cookie, and “Mikado” the European cookie.

Lotte’s Pepero and Ezaki Glico’s Pocky are longtime rivals in the chocolate-coated cookie world. They are so similar and it is difficult to tell the difference between the two. Not surprisingly, Ezaki Glico, who entered the U.S. market earlier than Lotte, filed in July 2015 with the US District Court.

After more than six years of a court battle, it was settled with the decision of the defendant Lotte’s victory.

The history of Pepero

Created in 1983 by the famous Korean brand, Lotte confectionery, the history of the Pepero cookie has a controversial story. Glico, the Japanese company that made the “pocky” cookie took actions against Lotte confectionery for what they considered as a copycat of their own cookie, created in 1965. Of course, Lotte confectionery denied the copycat infringement and the company’s argument was that because Pocky wasn’t sold in Korea at that time. Now, aggregate sales over the 37 years are 1,700,000 million.

Pepero was a success for the Lotte company. The cookie became really famous and the confectionery received awards for the best selling snacks :

• 2020 Winner of the German iF Design Award
• 2019 Winner of Germany’s Red Dot Award
• 2015 Watsons Best Selling Korean Biscuit
• 2014 Watsons Best Selling Biscuit
• 2012 Watsons Best Selling Snack Award

Now, it is easy to find these cookies everywhere in Korea. If you come to Korea in November, you will be surprised by Pepero decorations in many stores.

Best Pepero flavors

This snack is so famous it has diversified over the years. Not only are there a lot of flavors but also different styles of cookies.

Original Pepero

It’s the original first Pepero, a chocolate-covered biscuit.

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Almond Pepero

It’s covered with chocolate and almond. So it gives sweet and nutty flavors.

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Choco Filled Nude Pepero

The perfume taste is inside instead of outside of the biscuit. That gives the cookie a “naked” look.

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White Cookie Pepero

The Pepero stick is dipped in white chocolate with cookies.

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Choco Cookie Pepero

Pepero – New Flavors

Lotte keeps launching new Pepero flavors, and some of them disappear even we try them. Here are some new Peperos you can find in the market in Korea.

Kokal Corn Pepero

Nude-Cream Cheese Pepero

Crunky Pepero

Nude-Chocolate Pepero

All Types of Peperos

Now, It’s time to talk about the flavors. As you can expect, Lotte made a lot of flavors for their Pepero. So, it will be hard for you to not find the flavor that fits you. And as you will see, they created enough flavors for every style. They have classic flavors like chocolate, almond, white chocolate, and also some special flavors that will really surprise you.

All Official Peporos (10): #Original / #Crunchy / #Almond / #White cookies / #Double dip / #The slim / #Nude cream cheese / #Nude chocolate / #Choco cookies / #Strawberry cookies

Lots of Peperos are released but many of them are not available because they were limited editions.

What Is Pepero Game?

This Korean snack Pepero became really popular worldwide thanks to K-pop Idols who played the Pepero game.
The Pepero game’s rules are really simple: 2 players, 1 Pepero stick. Each player eats one end of the stick until they reach the middle. Their lips will get closer and closer. The goal is to eat as much of the stick and leave the smallest part. It’s the “Lady and the Trump” game but in the Pepero version.

This game was really popular at the start of 2010.  Almost all K-pop Idols played this game for the happiness of their fans who tried this game too at home with their own friends. Check out this article to see your favorite K-pop members playing the Pepero game.

Home Made Pepero

Another thing really popular with Pepero is to decorate it ourselves. It’s the perfect opportunity to show your talent! But also to customize it with your own style and flavors.

If you are interested in it, you can find a lot of DIY recipes on the internet. You can also buy a Pepero DIY set sold on many different websites like Gmarket. There is a lot of different Pepero styles, so you can definitely find one you like. If you want to have an idea about it, check this Pepero DIY set. There are so many choices with different sizes, colors, and flavors. The Homemade Pepero is famous in Korea for people who want to make their own Pepero to give to their friends.

Finally, according to The Korea Time, there are Five weird Pepero facts :

1. Pepero Day is reportedly the most profitable day for convenience stores all year.

2. Up to 30 percent of all annual Pepero sales occur within a week of Pepero Day, according to Consumer Report Korea.

3. The plain Pepero has fewer calories than the almond-flavored one.

4. The entire length of all Pepero sticks ever sold can circle the circumference of the Earth, 250 times.

5. According to a dating agency, seven out of 10 people “do not think exchanging Peperos are necessary.”

By Lee Ji-hye, https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2014/11/511_167943.html

Pepero Deals on Amazon!

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Lotte Pepero Original Chocolate Covered Cookie Stick (Pack of 4)

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OHMARKET Lotte Pepero Chocolate & Biscuit 5 Flavor Variety Pack (Pack of 10)

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Lotte Pepero Variety Value Package (Original Chocolate, Almond Chocolate, Nude Chocolate-Filled Biscuit Sticks) (Pack of 12, 4 Each Flavor)

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$48.89

Lotte Pepero Almond Chocolate Biscuit Sticks 1.27 Oz (Pack of 10)

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Amazon price updated: 8:04 am

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