Nowadays, people intentionally visit regions for bread, not for black pork belly, raw trout, or even pike eel shabu-shabu—just red bean paste buns, soboro buns, and cream cheese buns. They go as far as spending hours, sometimes even traveling the night before, to queue up in what they call an “open run.”
At the heart of it lies Daejeon’s local bakery, Sungsimdang. The taste of their bread prompts the MZ generation to question, “Why was Daejeon considered a dull city?” They jest that once they grab a bunch of Sungsimdang’s Twigim Soboro (deep-fried red bean paste bun) at Daejeon Station and nibble on them while walking, anywhere becomes enjoyable. Daejeon has now shed its dull city label. Even Daejeon locals say, “Where would we be without Sungsimdang?”
Since its establishment in 1956, Sungsimdang has been renowned for its 1700-won Twigim Soboro and 2000-won Pantalon Chives Bread. Visitors can purchase fruit-filled cakes like the strawberry siru and mango siru cakes only after waiting in line. Despite the soaring fruit prices, these cakes are so laden with fruit that identifying the main ingredient becomes impossible. Nevertheless, people still flock to Daejeon for these cakes. Last Christmas, some even resold them at double or triple the original price. Yet, there were still plenty of eager buyers.
Posts like “Went to Daejeon just for Sungsimdang” can be easily found on social media. After experiencing Sungsimdang in Daejeon, many also highlight the abundance of sights to see, such as Hanbat Arboretum and Expo Science Park. One YouTuber said, “Even though the Daejeon Expo happened ages ago, I was thrilled to visit the Kumdori merchandise store,” adding, “I ended up spending a fortune.” The Sungsimdang effect has significantly impacted the local economy.Last year, the bakery’s sales soared to 124.3 billion won, more than a 50% increase from the previous year’s 81.7 billion won. Excluding large corporate franchises, it became the first bakery to exceed 100 billion won in sales. During the same period, operating profit surged 104.5% to 31.5 billion won, surpassing major bakery chains like Paris Baguette (3419 stores) and Tous Les Jours (1316 stores).
Leesungdang in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, shares a similar narrative. Even in this small port city, bread has superseded fresh raw fish as the signature food. Visitors to Gunsan feel compelled to taste Leesungdang bread, even skipping a meal if necessary. The sweet red bean paste bun is priced at 2000 won, and the vegetable bun at 2500 won. Established in 1945, it is the oldest bakery in South Korea. Often, purchasing the desired bread without queuing since morning is impossible. About 20 years ago, a large franchise bakery opened in the city but closed due to being overshadowed by Leesungdang, which locals favored even in the presence of the franchise. The bakery also recorded sales of 266 billion won last year. Some locals assert, “Leesungdang has played a significant role in making Gunsan a ‘food tour’ destination.”
Other breads like the cream cheese bun of Mammoth Bakery in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, the chocolate pie of PNB Pungnyeon Bakery in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, and the dinosaur egg bread and butterfly pie of Gungjeon Bakery in Gwangju are also must-try items when visiting those cities. The term “bread pilgrimage” is not merely a random expression. There are even regional breads that represent specific areas more than any brand, such as the walnut cookies from Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, the ten-won bread from Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, ggulbbang (honey bread) from Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, and the crab bread from Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province. Though not the primary reason for visiting, the alluring scent often draws visitors to purchase these breads while exploring local attractions, sometimes even waiting in line.
This article was originally published on May 11, 2024.
