Lotte Subak Bar Review: Korea’s Iconic Watermelon Ice Cream
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The July humidity in Seoul hits like a heavy wet blanket the moment you step out of the subway exit. My daily summer survival routine involves ducking straight into the nearest GS25, marching over to the ice cream chest freezer, and grabbing a cold bar before my brain melts onto the asphalt. Among the dozens of brightly packaged frozen treats crammed into those freezer boxes, one specific wrapper always catches the eye: a bright light-blue pack featuring a smiling slice of cartoon watermelon. That is the legendary Lotte Subak Bar watermelon ice cream.
Subak means watermelon in Korean, and this ice cream bar has been a summer staple across South Korea since Lotte launched it in 1986. If you have spent any time scrolling through Korean convenience store hauls on social media or watching K-dramas set during hot summer afternoons, chances are high you have seen someone munching on this green-and-red ice pop. But does it actually taste like fresh fruit, or is it just another artificial sugar bomb? Here is my honest breakdown as a Seoul resident who eats way too many of these every summer.
The Classic Lotte Subak Bar Experience
Unwrapping a Subak Bar is pure nostalgia for anyone raised in Korea, but for newcomers, the visual design alone is delightful. The bar is shaped like a neat, triangular slice of watermelon sitting on a sturdy wooden stick. It is split into two distinct color zones: a large red upper section making up about eighty percent of the bar, and a thin green strip along the bottom to represent the outer rind. Speckled throughout the red section are tiny, dark brown crunchy bits that mimic real watermelon seeds.
Taste and Texture Breakdown
The texture of the red body is surprisingly unique. It is not a rock-hard ice pop that shatters your teeth, nor is it a heavy, dairy-laden ice cream. Instead, it occupies a perfect middle ground reminiscent of a firm sorbet or soft shaved ice. The moment you bite into it, it gives way easily with a crisp, clean snap before melting quickly into a cool liquid on your tongue.
Flavor-wise, the red section tastes less like fresh, organic watermelon and more like a refined, frozen candy version of the fruit. Think of a pleasant blend of sweet watermelon candy with a subtle hint of honey. It is noticeably sweet, but the high water content keeps it light and refreshing rather than cloying. You will not find yourself reaching for a bottle of water immediately after finishing it.
The seeds are easily the best textural surprise. They are actually small sunflower seeds or peanuts coated in a thin shell of dark chocolate. As you chew through the soft sorbet, these little seeds provide a quick, nutty crunch and a faint hit of cocoa that breaks up the sweetness of the fruit flavor.
The Green Rind Mystery
Ask any group of Seoul locals about Subak Bar, and a friendly debate will inevitably break out over the green rind section at the bottom. The green portion has a distinctly different flavor profile from the red top. While the red is purely sweet and fruity, the green layer carries a slightly tangy, sour-apple-meets-honeydew-melon taste. The texture here is also slightly denser and icier than the top portion.
For decades, kids across Korea would save the green part for last because its tartness provides a clean, palate-cleansing finish after all the sweet red ice. In fact, the green bottom developed such a massive cult following that Lotte eventually paid attention to the consumer obsession.
| Feature | Red Section | Green Section |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Flavor | Sweet watermelon candy | Tangy melon and green apple |
| Texture | Soft sorbet and shaved ice | Firm, dense ice pop |
| Inclusions | Chocolate-coated seed candy | None |
The Legendary Reverse Subak Bar and Spin-Offs
Because the green bottom section gained such a passionate fanbase, a famous internet meme circulated in Korea for years showing a photoshopped Subak Bar where the entire pop was green and only a tiny strip at the top was red. In 2017, Lotte actually made that meme a reality as a limited-edition release at CU convenience stores, calling it the Geok-ku-ro Subak Bar, which translates to Backward Subak Bar.
The Backward Subak Bar swapped the proportions entirely: a massive green sour-melon body topped with a tiny red bottom strip. It set off a huge trend across Korean social media, with people comparing the original side-by-side with the reversed edition. While the classic version remains the undisputed daily seller in freezer aisles today, Lotte regularly experiments with the lineup. Depending on the season, you might spot these interesting variations on store shelves:
- Subak Bar Pint Tubs: Soft ice cream containers designed to be eaten with a spoon at home.
- Pouch and Tube Ice: Squeezable slushie versions packaged in foil pouches, perfect for preventing sticky hands on hot days.
- Subak Jelly: Chewy gummy candies shaped like tiny watermelon slices, sharing the same dual-color scheme and flavor.
- Limited Flavor Variations: Occasional releases like yellow watermelon variants or super-sour editions brought out during peak summer months.
How Koreans Actually Eat Subak Bar
While pulling it straight out of the plastic package and eating it off the stick is standard, Korean convenience store culture has elevated the Subak Bar into a canvas for creative summer hacks. If you want to consume this classic treat like a true local, try these two popular methods.
The Subak Bar Soju Cocktail Hack
Go to any university area in Seoul like Hongdae or Sinchon during June or July, and you will see students mixing convenience store ingredients at outdoor plastic tables. One of the easiest and most popular DIY cocktails involves turning your ice cream into a frozen mixer.
- Grab a large plastic cup filled with ice from the convenience store drink freezer.
- Pour in one shot of plain soju (such as Chamisul Fresh or Jinro Is Back).
- Fill the rest of the cup with a lemon-lime soda like Chilsung Cider or Sprite.
- Unwrap a Lotte Subak Bar and use it as a stirrer, dunking it directly into the cold drink.
As the ice pop slowly melts into the carbonated soju, it infuses the liquid with watermelon flavor, slushy ice crystals, and a light pink hue. The chocolate seeds settle at the bottom as a sweet treat for when you finish the glass.
Price and Availability in Seoul
You can find this subak bar watermelon ice cream inside virtually every grocery store, neighborhood corner shop, and major convenience store chain in South Korea, including GS25, CU, Seven-Eleven, and Emart24. Prices generally hover around 1,000 to 1,500 won at standard convenience stores. However, if you drop by local neighborhood discount ice cream outlets, known as eoreum discount mart, you can frequently grab them in bulk for as low as 600 to 800 won per bar. Keep in mind that exact pricing shifts depending on promotional sales like 1+1 or 2+1 deals.
How to Get It Abroad
If you are living outside Korea and craving a authentic taste of Seoul’s favorite summer ice pop, you do not need to book a flight to Incheon. Lotte exports its staple ice cream line extensively across North America, Europe, Oceania, and Southeast Asia.
- H Mart: The largest Korean-American supermarket chain consistently stocks multi-packs of Lotte Subak Bar in their walk-in freezer sections.
- Zion Market and Hannam Chain: These prominent West Coast Korean grocery hubs regularly keep full Lotte freezer displays stocked with original Subak Bars and Melona pops.
- Local Asian Supermarkets: Broad East Asian markets like 99 Ranch Market or Mitsuwa often carry imported Lotte frozen desserts in their ice cream aisles.
- Online Asian Grocery Delivery: Specialty Asian delivery platforms such as Weee! frequently offer boxed multi-packs shipped with dry ice straight to your doorstep.
Verdict
The Lotte Subak Bar is an absolute classic for a reason. It does not pretend to be a gourmet artisanal gelato made with organic fruit puree. Instead, it delivers a deeply nostalgic, wildly refreshing, and fun eating experience that hits the spot on a sweltering afternoon. The clever texture contrast between the soft sorbet and the crunchy chocolate seed candies, paired with the sweet-and-sour dual layers, makes it one of the absolute best values you can pick up in a Korean freezer aisle.
Final Score: 9/10 — A mandatory summer buy for anyone exploring K-food culture.
FAQ
What flavor is the green part of the Subak Bar?
The green bottom rind layer has a light green apple and honeydew melon flavor. It is slightly tarter and icier than the sweet red watermelon top layer, giving the bar a balanced sour-sweet finish.
Are the seeds in Subak Bar safe to eat?
Yes, the dark seeds scattered inside the red ice pop are completely edible candies. They are typically made of tiny chocolate-coated peanut or sunflower seed centers that add a subtle crunch to the soft ice.
Is Lotte Subak Bar dairy-free?
While the texture resembles a water-based ice pop or sorbet, Lotte Subak Bar contains minor dairy derivatives and soy ingredients for texture stabilization. Always check the imported allergen label on the back of the package if you have strict dairy allergies.
