Welcome to the Ultimate Korean Convenience Store Guide, your go-to resource for exploring South Korea’s convenience stores. Whether you’re a local, traveler, or expatriate, our guide offers expert insights into how to navigate the Korean convenience stores in Seoul, Busan, and beyond. Discover top Korean snacks, drinks, and essentials, all while staying within your budget.
Today, I’m here to unravel the mysteries, share the secrets, and answer all your burning inquiries about the art of convenience store dining in Seoul. Join me as I guide you through the delightful maze of flavors and reveal the magic behind every savory bite!
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) showing a variety of foods and the viral ice cups.
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.
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. The wonderful thing is the affordability of the food and special deals like buy one, get one (1+1)
Which Korean convenience store is the best?
Korea’s top convenience stores include GS25, CU, and 7-Eleven. These are our favorite go-to spots for snacks, meals, and essentials, available 24/7. 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 Ice Cup Drinks
Each different ice cup size has a color label that matches with drink selections, make sure you match the ice cup size.
Sometimes I will grab a larger cup so I can mix two different drinks together. For example, if I am feeling coffee I will get a bagged coffee drink and then a milk from the fridge. I then combine them together to make a delicious drink.
Selecting Your Ramyeon (Ramen) & Condiments
Choose from the massive selection of ramyeon, and any condiments like cheese, meat, or eggs that can be purchased from the convenience store.
There is usually a section with some seating at the back of the convenience store. Some really small convenience stores with not have seating but you are welcome to 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)
Korean convenience stores are known for its 1+1 deals, also referred to as buy one, get one free. Keep an eye out and snatch up those savings! You may also see 2+1, which means buy 2 get one free!
Pay before you eat!
Once you fill your basket with all the food you will eat, pay before finding a seat! Head to the checkout counter and pay with cash or credit card. Korean convenience stores accept international credit cards like AMEX, Mastercard, and Visa.
Find a Seat & Grab Utensils
Chopsticks and straws are available at the checkout counter, you will need these for your instant noodles and ice cup drink respectively. Navigate around the convenience store to find the cooking & seating area.
Cooking & Seating Area
The convenience stores will often have at least 2 microwaves, a hot water dispenser, and a massive recycling area where you can dispose of excess water from cooking the noodles, and garbage when you finish eating!
Korea has one of the best recycling systems in the world with clear instructions on how to dispose of and organize. Please clean up the area once you are finished to be respectful of the next customers. Watch the short video below walking through the process of eating in a Korean convenience store.
10 Must-Try Korean Convenience Store Food, Drinks & Snacks
Our favorite 10 must-try Korean convenience store food and drinks are noted below.
1. Onigiri or Samgak:
These fly off the shelves and are restocked on a daily basis in South Korea. It’s the perfect fusion of seasoned rice, savory fillings, and seaweed, expertly crafted into convenient triangular onigiri or samgak shapes, offering a quick and satisfying snack experience. We ate these almost everyday in Korea! Easy to transport and great for snacks.
2. Yonsei Bread & Korea Univ Bread
Indulge in the soft, freshly baked goodness of Yonsei Bread (right) and Korea Univ Bread (left), renowned for its delectable flavors and fluffy, soft texture. The Yonsei bread is filled with a sweet cream mixture of a variety of flavors like vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and more! The Korea Univ bread is another tasty option.
3. Gimbap or Kimbap
Seaweed-wrapped rice rolls filled with an assortment of ingredients like vegetables, meat, and pickled radish, offering a convenient and satisfying snack.
4. Korean Ice Cup Drinks
Korean Ice Cup Drinks are a must-try! Select an ice cup from the freezer and size, and match it with your drink of choice! There is a massive selection of juices and coffees to choose from.
Make sure you coordinate the size of the cup with the drink bag! Feeling creative, pair the coffee with Korean milk, or Baskin & Robbins milk to make a flavored coffee ice drink.
5. Korean Milk & Baskin & Robbins Milk
Savor the richness of Korean Milk and Baskin & Robbins Milk, creamy and delicious dairy beverages that are a delightful accompaniment to your favorite snacks. You can’t beat the Korean milk banana, strawberry, and melon flavors in the hexagon plastic bottles. However, the Baskin & Robbins flavored milk are also delicious to try as well.
6. Ramyeon (Ramen)
Dive into the world of instant comfort with Ramyeon, flavorful and slurp-worthy noodles served in a steaming broth, offering a quick and delicious meal that’s a staple in Korean cuisine. There are so many delicious options to choose from and you can cook & eat it right there in the convenience store.
7. Korean Sandwiches
Like Japan, South Korea offers many different types of pre-packaged fresh sandwiches in the fridge section of the convenience store. The bread was soft and generous filling, we enjoyed the vegetable & egg salad sandwich!
8. Dango
Indulge your sweet tooth with Dango, chewy rice dumplings skewered for easy snacking, offering a delightful texture and variety of flavors. The tiramisu dango was so delicious, with powdered chocolate, and sweet creamy filling on the inside! Though it originated from Japan, it’s still a must-try in Korea!
9. Pre-Packaged Meals
Pre-packaged meals are popular in Korea, just warm them up in the microwave, eat them right away, or take them home for later! We tried the beef bulgogi meal, marinated beef served with purple rice and vegetables, kimchi, etc. Overall, while it wasn’t the same as eating in a restaurant, the taste and value were good!
10. Tteokbokki
A beloved Korean dish consisting of chewy rice cakes bathed in a spicy-sweet sauce, creating a flavorful and satisfying snack that’s a must-try for those who love chewy textures and moderate to higher spice tolerance.
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!
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 is a Korean convenience store 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).
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!
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