Welcome to the Ultimate Korean Convenience Store Guide, your go-to resource for exploring South Korea’s convenience store culture. Whether you’re a local or a traveler, our guide offers expert insights into how to visit a Korean convenience store. From Seoul to Busan, and beyond. Discover the top Korean snacks, Korean drinks in pouches, ramen, and more!
I’m here to share the secrets and answer all your burning inquiries about dining inside a Korean convenience store. After reading this travel and food guide, you will have all the travel tips and information you need! Let’s dive into all the Korean convenience store info you need to know!
With over 30 million views across my social media channels, my convenience store adventures have sparked a wave of questions: How do you navigate these food havens? Do you craft your own dishes? Is it eat-first, pay-later?
Check out my short video on How to Eat at a Korean Convenience Store on YouTube. Some of my most popular videos are an ASMR style (Autonomous sensory meridian response). These videos showcase a variety of Korean foods and Korean drinks in pouches with an ice cup.
What is Korean Convenience Store?
A Korean convenience store is a small shop offering Korean snacks, drinks, ready-to-eat meals, and daily essentials. You will notice when traveling in South Korea, the stores are open 24/7. The Korean convenience store brands often provide a stool or seating area for customers to dine in. We have seen everything from stools and bar tops to tables that can seat up to four people.
Why are Korean Convenience Stores so Popular?
Korean convenience stores are so popular in South Korea due to their 24/7 accessibility, diverse product offerings, and abundance of locations. The convenience stores cater to busy lifestyles while providing a wide range of fresh meals, snacks, and household items, ensuring convenience at any hour. It also can be affordable for many of the local people to eat meals at the convenience stores in Korea.
Their efficient service makes them indispensable for locals and travelers. You can even purchase everything and eat it right in the convenience store which typically has a small seating area with microwaves. Convenience stores often offer special deals like buy one, get one (1+1).
What is the Most Popular or Famous convenience store In Korea?
The most popular or famous convenience store in Korea is CU. There are over 17,000 CU convenience stores in Korea. The top Korean convenience store brands include GS25, CU, and 7-Eleven, GS25 also as over 17,000 stores. These are our favorite go-to spots for quick Korean food, snacks, meals, and essentials, available 24/7. Additionally, CU convenience stores in our opinion have the best seating and cooking areas from our experience. While we love visiting all these convenience stores our favorite one to eat in is CU convenience!
How to Eat at a Korean Convenience Store
We will walk through everything you need to know about eating in a Korean convenience store and tips below! When you walk in you may feel overwhelmed with the amount of options you have in front of you but let’s start with the most asked about items.
Korean Drink Pouches
Korean drinks are very popular beverages inside the Korean convenience store. The first step is to select your desired drink flavor from the Korean drink pouches stand. The drink pouches will have a color label on the package which designates a specific drink ice cup size. Some Korean drink pouches may only have certain cup sizes so be wary of this! The freezer with all the ice cups is normally located near the Korean drink pouches stand. It’s essential you match the ice cup with the corresponding Korean drink pouches or you may end up overflowing.
Sometimes I will grab a larger ice cup so that I can mix two different drinks together. For example, I will get one of the coffee Korean drink pouches and a milk beverage from the fridge. I then combine them together to make a delicious drink. In this particular instance, I’ve combined a black coffee drink pouch with the iconic Korean melon milk. The taste was so incredible, I highly recommend it.
Convenience Store Ramen
Convenience stores in Korea always have an extensive selection of ramyeon (ramen). I normally prefer the Samyang ramyoen brand which has one of my favorite ramens, Samyang Carbonara! If you feel like getting creative, you can add condiments like cheese, meat, or eggs. These are commonly found in the refrigerated section of the Korean convenience store.
The amount of seating may vary from one Korean convenience store to the next. However, there is usually a section with some seating whether at the side, back, or front of the store. Some really small Korean convenience stores may not have seating. Although you can stand, and eat near the self-cook area.
You can cook your ramyeon (ramen) instant noodles inside the store with hot water and microwaves. Note, you do need to pay before you start cooking and eating!
1+1 Deals (Buy One, Get One Free)
It is very common at a Korean convenience store to see 1+1 deals. These deals are also referred to as buy one, get one free. Take your time observing to ensure you’re getting the best value inside the store. You may also see 2+1, which means buy 2 get one free!
How To Pay at a Korean Convenience Store ?
After filling your basket with all the Korean food your heart desires, it’s time to pay. Find the checkout counter and pay with cash or credit card. It’s common at a Korean convenience store to accept international credit cards like AMEX, Mastercard, and Visa. Once you pay, you can find your desired seat and start cooking!
Eating at The Korean Convenience Store
Chopsticks and straws are available at the checkout counter. You will need these for your instant noodles and Korean ice cup drink respectively. From walking around the convenience store, you should have pre-located the cooking & seating area. If not, see if the staff can help direct you. If not, we have used google translate to communicate.
Cooking & Seating Area
The Korean convenience stores will often have at least 1 microwave, a hot water dispenser, and a massive recycling area. This is where you can dispose of excess water from cooking the noodles, and garbage when you finish eating!
South Korea has one of the best recycling systems in the world. An organized Korean convenience store instructions on how to dispose of food and recycling. If and doubt, use Google Translate to take a picture of the sign if you don’t understand. It’s common courtesy to clean up the area once you are finished to be respectful of the next customers. Watch the short video of how to eat in a Korean convenience store.
Korean Convenience Store Food, Drinks & Snacks
There are so many amazing Korean foods to try in a Korean convenience store. It may vary slightly from convenience store brands like CU or GS25. However, A lot of the time these stores carry similar items.
You can enjoy quick bites like samgak gimbap, also known as onigiri or gimbap rolls gimbap rolls. From instant noodles to corn on the cob, and sweet treats like banana milk, Melona bars, and Choco Pies. There’s something for everyone from more healthy options to less healthy. Ready-to-eat meals such as bibimbap, tteokbokki kits, and kimchi pancakes offer authentic flavors. You will find popular snacks like Pepero and honey butter chips that showcase Korea’s love for sweet and savory combinations. Are you wondering what Korean foods, snacks, and drinks are the best to try?
12 Must Try Korean Convenience Store Food & Drinks
When visiting South Korea, here are 12 must-try Korean convenience store food & drinks! While there are many to choose from, these 12 were the best we tried!
1. onigiri (삼각김밥, samgak-gimbap)
Onigiri, also known as Samgak is the number 1 Korean convenience store food you need to try! You may ask, what is Onigiri? It’s seasoned rice, with savory fillings wrapped in seaweed, expertly crafted into triangular onigiri or samgak shapes. It’s a quick and satisfying snack. These fly off the shelves and are restocked on a daily basis in South Korea. We ate these almost every day in Korea! Easy to transport and great for snacks.
The popular onigiri flavors are tuna mayo, spicy tuna, bulgogi, kimchi, salmon mayo, spicy pork and, cheese & ham.
2. Yonsei Bread & Korea Univ Bread
Yonsei Bread is the number 2 Korean convenience store food you must try! Yonsei bread is a soft and fluffy milk bread made with Yonsei’s signature milk. It has a light sweetness and creamy flavor. It’s one of my favorite sweet food to enjoy at a Korean convenience store.
The Yonsei bread (right picture) is filled with a sweet cream mixture of a variety of flavors. The most common flavors are vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. However, if you can find the orange Hallabong flavor, it’s my favorite! The Korea Univ bread (left picture) is another similar option! The main difference is that it includes several layers like jam or red bean paste plus the cream.
3. Gimbap 김밥 or Kimbap
Gimbap is one of the most beloved Korean convenience store food options. It’s cooked rice filled with egg, vegetables, meat, seafood, and pickled radish, wrapped in a dried seaweed roll. Is Gimbap similar to sushi? The answer is yes however, the main difference is that sushi often uses raw seafood versus cooked ingredients with gimbap. The rice in gimbap is commonly seasoned with sesame where as sushi is seasoned with vinegar and sugar.
Gimbap was always one of the Korean convenience store foods that I never got tired of! My personal favorite was often the ones that included bulgogi meat with spicy paste as the sauce. Similar to the gimbap pictured.
4. Korean Drink Pouches & Korean Ice Cups
Korean drink pouches often complement any Korean convenience store food. You will often need both the Korean drink pouches and the corresponding size of ice cup size. These are a must-try!
Helpful tip reminder, be sure you coordinate the size of the cup with the Korean drink pouches. My personal favorites include the Kuromi wild berry and kiwi! Both of these drinks were so refreshing and citrusy flavors.
Are you someone who prefers drinking coffee? I love getting creative with my coffee Korean drink pouches by pairing them with flavored Korean milk. I poured a black coffee drink pouch followed by pouring a Baskins & Robbins strawberry milk into the ice cup. There you have it, strawberry milk coffee! It’s as good as it sounds, trust me!
5. Korean Milk & Baskin & Robbins Milk
Korean milk is one of those life-changing Korean convenience store drinks you must try! Korean milk cartons are known for their fun designs, small sizes, and unique flavors like banana, strawberry, melon, and coffee.
The Baskin & Robbins Milk has popular flavors like cookies & cream, cotton candy, and strawberry. However, you can’t beat the Korean milk banana, strawberry, and melon flavors in the hexagon plastic bottles. Some would say it’s the perfect drink to pair with any Korean convenience store food.
6. Ramyeon (라면) (Ramen)
You must add ramyeon to your list of Korean convenience store food options. Ramyeon is similar to Japanese ramen. It’s a similar concept to the Japanese version of onigiri versus Korean Samgak. To fully immerse into the Korean convenience store culture you must pick out a ramyeon and make it in the store. There are many flavorful and slurp-worthy noodles served in a steaming broth, offering a quick and delicious meal that’s a staple in Korean cuisine. You can cook & eat it right there in the convenience store.
My favorite ramyeon has to be the Samyang Carbonara in the pink packaging. It’s less spicy than some of the other versions and so cheesy! Feel free to add more cheese which can be purchased from the convenience store.
7. Korean Sandwiches 샌드위치
Like Japan, South Korea offers many different types of pre-packaged fresh sandwiches. The variety can be found in the fridge section of the Korean convenience store. The bread was soft and generous filling, we enjoyed the vegetable & egg salad sandwich!
Korean sandwiches often feature simple fillings like egg, ham, or even kimchi, a very popular Korean convenience store food.
8. tteok Skewers 떡꼬치 (Dango)
Tteok or dango, is one of my favorite sweet Korean convenience store food picks. The concept of dango was born and Japan. It’s essential a chewy, skewered glutinous rice cake dumplings. This one in particular was filled with tiramisu flavors bursting with a sweet cream inside. It’s a great sweet snack with a nice texture and a variety of flavors. The most common flavor you will probably find has a sweet soy glaze over top of the skewers. Another common flavor is red bean paste inside the rice cake!
9. Korean Convenience Store Food Kits
These pre-packaged meals often come with pre-measured ingredients and simple instructions. Popular kits include the following.
Bulgogi: Marinated beef, vegetables, and seasoning.
Kimchi Jjigae: Kimchi, tofu, pork, and seasoning for stew.
Bibimbap: Rice, vegetables, egg, and gochujang sauce.
Japchae: Sweet potato noodles, vegetables, and sauce.
Tteokbokki: Rice cakes, fish cakes, and spicy sauce.
Jjajangmyeon: Noodles, black bean paste, and vegetables.
All you have to do is just warm them up in the microwave and eat them right away. You can also take them home for later! We tried the beef bulgogi meal, marinated beef served with purple rice, vegetables, and kimchi! Overall, while it wasn’t the same as eating in a restaurant, the taste and value were good!
10. Tteokbokki 떡볶이
Tteokbokki is arguably the most popular Korean convenience store food on this list. It’s a Korean dish made of chewy rice cakes in a slightly sweet but spicy sauce. A lot of the time you can find street food with fish cakes. However, the tteokbokki in the convenience stores likely won’t. The sauce, traditionally made from gochujang (chili paste), soy sauce, sugar, and garlic. It gives the rice cakes a perfect balance of sweetness and heat.
I recommend trying the samyang carbo tteokbokki. While it’s not the traditional flavor, it’s great to introduce yourself to tteokboki where you can control the spice. The cheese flavor also helps tone down the spiciness.
11. Korean Sweet Potato 고구마
Korean sweet potatoes are another popular food in a Korean convenience store. It’s often sold pre-cooked and ready to eat. We’re talking specifically about whole-baked sweet potatoes! It has a rich, naturally sweet flavor and is a super healthy snack.
Every time we go back home we’re always wondering where can we find purple sweet potatoes that taste this good! You don’t need to add anything to them, it tastes good as is.
12. Korean Toast 길거리토스트 (Gilgeori Toast)
Korean toast is a Korean convenience store food I was pleasantly surprised about. It’s a quick, ready-to-eat version of the popular street food, gilgeori toast. The pre-packaged toast typically includes grilled bread filled with scrambled eggs, shredded vegetables (like cabbage and carrots), and a sweet-savory sauce. Some versions also contain ham or cheese. It’s packaged for easy heating and offers a nice savory snack that’s perfect for breakfast or a quick meal.
FAQ - Korean Convenience Store
Can you eat inside a Korean convenience store?
Yes, in most Korean convenience stores like 7-Eleven, GS25, and CU there will be a small area with tables and chairs to enjoy whatever you purchase at the store!
Does Korea have 7-Eleven?
Korea has around 14,300 7-Eleven stores making it a popular Korean convenience store chain. These stores offer a wide range of convenience store food, snacks, drinks, ready-to-eat meals, and daily necessities. This includes Korean food options like tteokbokki, kimbap, and instant noodles (ramyeon).
What are the rice triangles in Korean convenience stores?
Korean convenience stores feature rice triangles, known as “samgak (triangle) kimbap” or “onigirazu.” These are convenient triangular rice snacks filled with delicious ingredients like seasoned rice, veggies, and meat. These are typically called onigiri which originate from Japan!
What is sold in a Korean convenience store?
Korean convenience stores offer a wide range of food and household items. These stores are a one-stop solution for daily necessities, from ready-to-eat meals, Korean snacks, and beverages to toiletries, household items, and even stationery. Popular items include rice triangles, ramen noodles, ice cream, fresh coffee, Korean ice cup drinks with many different coffee and juice flavors, and various Korean snacks. Whether you need a quick meal, a refreshing drink, or basic essentials, Korean convenience stores are great to visit, ensuring convenience and accessibility 24/7.
What are Korean convenience stores called?
A Korean convenience store is commonly called a “convenience store” or simply “CVS” for short. However, in the Korean language, a convenience store is “편의점” (pyeon-ui-jeom), which is also abbreviated as “편의점” (pyeon-jeom). This could also refer to the specific convenience store brands. The Korean convenience store industry’s top players are often called the “Big 5. Among them, 7-Eleven, CU, and are known as the “Big 3.”
What size are ice cups in Korean convenience stores?
The Korean ice cups typically come in 3 sizes medium (230 ML), large (330 ML), and X-Large (400 ML). The most popular sizes are medium and large which are identifiable by the purple and blue lid covers respectively. The medium size costs 700 KRW while the medium is 900 KRW, and the X-Large is 1,300 KRW for the ice cup excluding the drinks that are purchased in the bags. The Korean ice cups are color-coded according to size with the coffee and juice bags! This ensures you will get the right juice and cup to fill properly and not overflow or underflow!
Where is Korean Convenience Store?
You can find Korean convenience stores in many places around the world. However, the Korean convenience store culture was born in South Korea! You can find major brands like CU, 7-Eleven, and GS25 across all the country’s cities. However, you will find the largest concentration in major metropolitan cities like Seoul and Busan.
Korean Convenience Store Near Me
Finding the closest korean convenience store in proximity to yourself is easy when using the Google search bar. Most Korean convenience stores are located in South Korean major metropolitan cities like Seoul. I can only wish that more Korean convenience stores would open in communities all over Canada and the United States. There is no doubt that we need more Korean convenience store in the USA.
