H Mart Ice Cream Guide: 6 Korean Treats Worth Buying
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The Ice Cream Aisle Reality in Seoul and Beyond
I walked downstairs to my local GS25 in Mapo-gu last night around 11 PM to pick up a pouch of iced coffee, and as usual, I ended up lingering over the sliding glass freezer chest near the entrance. In South Korea, convenience store ice cream isn’t just a quick summer cooling trick; it’s a daily ritual. Whether you are walking home from work, wrapping up a heavy Korean BBQ dinner with friends, or looking for a late-night study snack, grabbing a stick ice cream (하드) or a waffle sandwich is second nature. When I visit friends back home and walk into an H Mart, stepping into the freezer aisle feels like a teleportation trick. You are greeted by bright yellow boxes of Binggrae, metallic foil packs from Lotte, and distinct green boxes of Melona.
However, standing in front of those wide H Mart chest freezers can feel overwhelming if you do not know what you are looking at. Korean ice creams do not follow standard Western ice cream conventions. Instead of plain vanilla tubs or chocolate fudge pops, you encounter chewy milk bars, savory-sweet chestnut popsicles, fish-shaped waffle sandwiches filled with sweetened red bean paste, and squeeze tubes filled with icy pear slush. This practical h mart ice cream guide walks you through the exact frozen treats you should put in your cart, what they actually taste like, and how locals eat them back in Seoul.
The Best Korean Ice Creams at H Mart Tested and Ranked
1. Binggrae Melona (Melon Flavor)
If there is a gateway drug to Korean ice cream, this is it. First released in Korea back in 1992, Melona holds a legendary status. The classic green bar is flavored after Honeydew melon, a fruit that was historically considered a luxury treat in Korea. When you bite into a Melona, the immediate surprise is the texture. It is not icy like a standard popsicle, nor is it soft like standard soft-serve. It has an almost stretchy, dense, chewy texture that eats more like a frozen block of rich milk gel.
The taste is sweet, aromatic, and distinctly melon-forward without tasting like medicinal syrup. Compared to standard American fruit pops, it is significantly creamier and far less acidic. In Korea, people eat this straight off the stick while walking home on humid summer nights, but a popular modern viral hack is dropping a melon Melona directly into a glass of Soju and sparkling water to create a creamy melon cocktail. At local Korean convenience stores, a single bar costs around 1,000 to 1,500 won, while H Mart typically sells them in economical multi-bar boxes. Aside from melon, you will also see banana, mango, and coconut flavors in H Mart freezers, though melon remains the undisputed king.
2. Binggrae Samanco (Together Red Bean & Vanilla)
Shape-wise, Samanco is inspired by bungeoppang, the fish-shaped winter street food waffle filled with warm red bean paste. The ice cream version replaces the warm waffle with a soft, pliable, thin wafer shell shaped like a carp. Inside lies a layer of plain vanilla ice cream alongside a thin ribbon of sweetened red bean (pat) paste.
The texture contrast here is exceptional. The outer wafer layer prevents your fingers from getting sticky and offers a soft, light chew. The vanilla ice cream is mild and airy, balancing out the dense, earthy sweetness of the red bean paste. If you have never tried red bean desserts before, the sweet red bean flavor is somewhat comparable to a mild, nutty chestnut paste combined with subtle brown sugar notes. It has zero spice or heat, making it pure comfort food. Koreans often eat this as an afternoon tea-time snack. Modern variants at H Mart include chocolate Samanco, green tea Samanco, and even brown sugar boba fillings, but the classic red bean and vanilla version is the original standard.
3. Lotte Dwaeji Bar (Pig Bar)
Dwaeji Bar (literally translated as Pig Bar) was created in 1983, the Year of the Pig in the Chinese zodiac. It remains one of Lotte’s top-selling ice cream bars of all time. Visually, it looks like an American Good Humor Strawberry Shortcake bar, but the flavor profile is punchier and crunchier.
The outer layer is heavily coated in crushed chocolate and vanilla cookie crumbles that deliver an intense, dry crunch. Beneath the crunch is a layer of milk ice cream, and right in the center sits a pocket of tart, sweet strawberry jam. Bite into it, and you get three distinct layers: dark chocolate crunch, smooth cream, and fruity jam. Compared to a standard ice cream bar, the cookie coating is chunkier and slightly less sweet, balancing the sugary jam inside. It can get messy quickly because the cookie crumbles tend to drop onto your shirt, so eat it over a napkin. In Korea, it is a childhood favorite that adults continue to buy for nostalgia’s sake.
4. Lotte World Cone
If you prefer classic waffle cone treats, World Cone is Korea’s direct answer to the Drumstick. It has been a top seller across Korean convenience stores since the mid-1980s. The structure is familiar: a crispy waffle cone lined with chocolate, filled with vanilla ice cream, topped with a drizzle of chocolate syrup and chopped roasted peanuts, and finished with a solid nugget of dark chocolate hidden at the very tip of the cone bottom.
What sets World Cone apart from Western counterparts is the lighter density of the ice cream itself. It isn’t heavy or overly cloying; instead, it finishes clean. The peanuts on top are finely crushed and extra toasted, providing a deep nutty aroma. Korean convenience stores frequently run “2+1” sales on World Cone, making it the default late-night snack for college students after studying late in library lounges. H Mart usually stocks multipacks in the freezer aisle near the larger tubs.
5. Haitai Babamba
Babamba is a vintage staple first launched in 1976. If you ask young Koreans in Seoul, many will joke that Babamba is an “old person ice cream,” but almost everyone secretly loves it. It is a chestnut-flavored ice cream bar made with real chestnut purée and honey.
The texture is smooth and slightly frosty, containing small bits of real candied chestnut mixed throughout the stick. The primary flavor profile is warm, nutty, and distinctly honeyed—think of a chilled version of roasted chestnuts mixed with cream. It is far milder and less sugary than chocolate-based bars. In Korea, Babamba is famous for being extraordinarily refreshing after a heavy, salty meal like Korean fried chicken or spicy army stew (Budae Jigae). If you enjoy cozy, earthy flavors like hazelnut or maple, this bar belongs in your freezer.
6. Lotte Screw Bar
Screw Bar is a non-dairy, water-ice popsicle shaped like a large vintage spiral screw. It features a dual-flavor twist: apple on the outside and strawberry on the inside. It delivers a firm, crisp crunch when you first bite into it, before melting into a smooth fruit slush consistency in your mouth.
The taste profile is bright, tangy, and intensely fruity. Compared to standard American ice pops, Screw Bar feels denser and less watery, holding its flavor all the way down to the stick. It is a massive summer hit in Seoul, particularly among people looking for a lower-calorie option after gym sessions or late-night walks along the Han River. H Mart stocks these in multi-bar plastic bags right alongside Binggrae products.
| Product Name | Flavor Profile | Texture |
|---|---|---|
| Binggrae Melona | Honeydew Melon & Milk | Chewy, dense gelato-like |
| Binggrae Samanco | Sweet Red Bean & Vanilla | Soft wafer exterior, smooth interior |
| Lotte Dwaeji Bar | Chocolate Cookie & Strawberry Jam | Extremely crunchy coating, soft core |
How to Get It Abroad
Finding authentic Korean ice cream outside of Korea has become dramatically easier over the past few years, thanks largely to the expansion of major Asian supermarket chains. If you are shopping in North America, your primary destination should be H Mart. Most H Mart locations feature dedicated freezer sections with glass-top chest units specifically labeled for Korean imports.
Beyond H Mart, you can reliably find these items at major Asian grocery retailers such as 99 Ranch Market, Mitsuwa Marketplace, and Zion Market. For online grocery deliveries, services like Weee! frequently stock Melona boxes, Samanco multi-packs, and Lotte World Cones with cold-chain shipping directly to your doorstep. Keep in mind that stock levels and limited-edition flavors (like taro Melona or matcha Samanco) fluctuate seasonally, so if you spot a rare flavor in the freezer chest, grab it immediately.
Verdict
Korean ice cream stands out because it prioritizes unique textures and balanced sweetness over overwhelming sugar levels. Whether it is the chewy milk structure of Melona or the soft waffle wrapper of Samanco, these products offer an elevated everyday ice cream experience that feels distinct from standard Western options.
Final Rating: 9/10 — Highly recommended. Make sure to buy multipacks at H Mart, as individual sticks disappear quickly once you get them home.
FAQ
Where is the best place to find Korean ice cream at H Mart?
Look for the long, low glass-top chest freezers usually located near the frozen dumpling or frozen snack aisles, rather than the standing wall freezers. H Mart typically groups stick ice creams together by brand (Binggrae, Lotte, Haitai) in these horizontal bins.
Are Korean ice creams like Melona halal or dairy-free?
Most classic Korean ice creams, including Melona, Samanco, and World Cone, contain real dairy milk and condensed milk, so they are not dairy-free. While many fruit-flavored bars do not contain pork products, most are not officially certified halal, so always check the imported English ingredient label on the back of the box at H Mart.
Why is Melona ice cream so chewy compared to regular popsicles?
Melona’s iconic stretchy texture comes from its specific formulation, which uses micro-emulsified milk solids and specialized vegetable gums rather than just water and fruit juice syrup. This creates a dense dairy matrix that resists melting rapidly and gives it a distinct chew.
