Best Korean Sweet Potato Snacks Ranked by a Seoul Local

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The Sweet Potato Obsession in Korea

The autumn wind off the Han River was blowing hard last night, so I ducked into the GS25 convenience store right outside my apartment block to warm up. Walking down the snack aisle, half the shelf was taken up by deep purple and golden yellow bags. Korea has a genuine love affair with the sweet potato, known locally as goguma. Unlike Western sweet potatoes, which tend to be watery and bright orange, Korean sweet potatoes—especially the bam-goguma (chestnut sweet potato) and huni-goguma (honey sweet potato)—are dense, sugary, and almost pastry-like in texture.

It was only natural that snack companies would transform this beloved staple crop into every imaginable crisp, puff, and chewy bite. If you walk into any CU, 7-Eleven, or GS25 in Seoul, you will find at least five different types of Korean sweet potato snacks sitting right next to the regular potato chips. But with so many options, which ones are worth your money and international shipping fees? I bought five of the most famous sweet potato treats sold across Korean supermarkets and neighborhood marts to test them side by side.

The Definite Ranking of Korean Sweet Potato Snacks

1. Nongshim Gogumakang (고구마깡)

If there is one snack that defined my first year living in Seoul, it is Nongshim’s Gogumakang. Launched decades ago, this is the undisputed king of traditional Korean sweet potato snacks. I paid around 1,700 won for a standard bag at my local mart, though prices can fluctuate depending on convenience store promotions.

Taste & Flavor Profile: The moment you open the bag, you get a strong aroma of toasted sesame seeds and caramelized brown sugar. The taste starts sweet, heavily featuring real sweet potato paste glaze, followed by a slight nutty richness from black sesame seeds speckled across every piece. It has zero spice level—it is pure sweet and savory harmony, milder and sweeter than a standard pretzel but far more savory than a frosted donut.

Texture: Sensational. Gogumakang pieces are shaped like tiny, hollowed-out sticks with ridges. The thick syrup glaze gives them a glossy coat that shatters when you bite down. It is a dense, hard crunch that does not go soggy easily.

How Koreans Eat It: This is a classic anju (beer snack). You will often see locals pouring these into a bowl alongside a cold bottle of Cass or Terra lager while watching football or streaming dramas on a Friday night. The sweetness pairs brilliantly with clean, crisp Korean beers.

Gogumakang Taste Profile

Aspect	Rating (out of 5)	Note
Sweetness	4/5	Rich brown sugar and honeyed sweet potato glaze
Crunchiness	5/5	Dense, hard crunch that resists sogginess
Spice Level	0/5	Entirely mild and kid-friendly

2. Haitai Osatsu (오사쯔)

Haitai Osatsu takes a completely different route compared to the crunchy glazed sticks. I picked this up for roughly 1,700 won at CU. Osatsu focuses on light, airy comfort, taking inspiration from baked sweet potatoes mashed with butter.

Taste & Flavor Profile: Osatsu tastes remarkably like a hot baked sweet potato slathered in unsalted butter. It is creamy, gentle, and subtle. There is a delicate sweetness that isn’t overwhelming, backed by a mild milk and dairy undertone. Compared to standard potato chips, Osatsu is much less salty and significantly sweeter, yet it avoids feeling heavy.

Texture: If you like snacks that melt on your tongue, Osatsu is the top contender. The chips are thin, flower-shaped puffs. When you pop one in your mouth, it gives a brief soft crunch before dissolving into a creamy sweet potato puree consistency.

How Koreans Eat It: Because Osatsu makes very little sound when chewed, it is widely known in Seoul as the stealthy office or classroom snack. I often grab a bag when I need to crunch through emails at my desk without annoying my coworkers.

3. Crown Goguma Mattang (고구마맛탕)

This snack is inspired by goguma mattang, a famous Korean side dish and street dessert made by deep-frying chunks of sweet potato and coating them in a hard, sticky syrup glaze. Crown condensed that entire dish into a bite-sized packaged snack. A bag runs around 1,500 to 2,000 won in most Seoul marts.

Taste & Flavor Profile: Crown Goguma Mattang hits you with a rich molasses and roasted syrup flavor. It captures the smoky sweetness of roasted sweet potato skin alongside black sesame seeds. It is sweeter than Gogumakang, leaning heavily into dessert territory. Spice level is absolute zero.

Texture: Very crunchy and solid. The pieces are shaped like small triangular wedges, mimicking cut sweet potato chunks. The glaze gives each piece a candy-like outer crust with a crisp corn-based center.

How Koreans Eat It: It is popular as an afternoon pick-me-up paired with hot black coffee or an iced Americano. The dark roast bitterness of Korean coffee balances out the heavy candied syrup on the snack.

4. CJ Cheongjeoneone Goguma Malang-i (Chewy Sweet Potato Strips)

For those who want pure real food without corn flour bases or heavy frying, goguma malang-i (dried chewy sweet potato) is a huge category in Korea. CJ and Cheongjeoneone dominate this market. A pack usually costs around 3,500 to 4,500 won, making it pricier than fried chips because it consists purely of steamed and dried sweet potatoes.

Taste & Flavor Profile: It tastes exactly like concentrated roasted Korean honey sweet potato. There are no added sugars or artificial seasonings listed on most pure brands—just pure natural fructose, earthy root notes, and a deep honey flavor. It is earthy, warm, and rich.

Texture: Extremely chewy, dense, and soft. It feels like eating a thick fruit leather or a heavy gummy candy, but completely natural. If you store it in a cool place, it gets firmer; warming it slightly in the microwave for 5 seconds makes it pillow-soft.

How Koreans Eat It: This is the go-to snack for fitness lovers, hikers tackling Bukhansan, and people looking for a clean dietary option. It is extremely filling due to the fiber content.

5. No Brand Purple Sweet Potato Chips (자색고구마칩)

No Brand (E-Mart’s house brand) released these canned purple sweet potato chips a few years back, and they quickly became a staple in Korean households. You can find them at No Brand stores or E-Mart for around 1,500 won per canister.

Taste & Flavor Profile: Think of a standard Pringles chip, but replace the heavy onion powder with a delicate purple yam flavor and a dusting of sugar and sea salt. It strikes a balance between salty and sweet, though it leans slightly more toward salty than the other snacks on this list.

Texture: Uniform, thin, light crispness with a clean snap. It doesn’t leave greasy residue on your fingers like regular potato crisps often do.

How Koreans Eat It: Perfect for road trips and picnics along the Han River because the sturdy tube keeps the chips from crushing inside a tote bag.

Price Per Serving Math

To help budget your snack haul, here is a quick price-per-serving estimate based on typical Seoul mart prices (note: actual store prices vary by retailer, location, and sales promotions, so verify current prices before relying on them):

• Processed Chips & Puffs (Gogumakang, Osatsu, Mattang, No Brand): ~1,500 to 2,000 KRW per container (approx. 2 servings per bag/canISTER = ~750 to 1,000 KRW per serving).
• Whole Dried Sweet Potato Strips (Goguma Malang-i): ~3,500 to 4,500 KRW per pack (approx. 1 to 2 dense servings = ~1,750 to 3,500 KRW per serving due to 100% natural, un-extended ingredients).

Snack Comparison Summary

Snack Name	Primary Flavor	Texture Type
Nongshim Gogumakang	Sweet Brown Sugar & Sesame	Hard Crunchy Glazed Stick
Haitai Osatsu	Buttery Baked Sweet Potato	Melt-in-Mouth Airy Puff
Crown Goguma Mattang	Caramelized Honey Glaze	Dense Crisp Wedge
CJ / Cheongjeoneone Malang-i	Pure Honey Sweet Potato	Soft & Heavy Chewy Strip
No Brand Purple Chips	Salty-Sweet Yam	Thin Uniform Potato Crisp

How to Get It Abroad

You do not need to book a flight to Incheon International Airport just to try these Korean sweet potato snacks. Major Korean manufacturers like Nongshim, Crown, and Haitai export their top product lines worldwide, though packaging designs and limited-edition runs change frequently.

• H Mart & Zion Market: If you have a large Korean supermarket in your city, head straight to the snack aisle. Nongshim Gogumakang and Haitai Osatsu are almost always in stock.
• Local Asian Grocery Stores: General Asian markets (like 99 Ranch or local family-owned shops) usually carry Gogumakang and No Brand purple sweet potato chips.

Key Takeaways

• Traditional Glazed Crunch: Nongshim Gogumakang and Crown Goguma Mattang deliver firm, caramelized crunch with nutty sesame accents, ideal for beer pairings or coffee breaks.
• Soft & Buttery Alternatives: Haitai Osatsu provides a quiet, melt-in-your-mouth bite inspired by buttery baked sweet potatoes, perfect for subtle desk snacking.
• Whole-Food Nutrition: CJ and Cheongjeoneone Goguma Malang-i offer pure dried sweet potato without corn flour or frying, serving as a filling, high-fiber choice at a higher cost.
• Budget Value: Most standard bagged and canned Korean sweet potato snacks cost between 1,500 and 2,000 KRW in local marts, offering an accessible entry point to local flavors.

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