K-dramas aren’t just filled with lovestruck plots and enviable designer clothing—more often than not, they're sprinkled with food-filled scenes that’ll have you craving mid-TV sesh.
The hunger pangs ache even more when you’re left longing for dishes while miles away from South Korea, but fear not, because some of these snacks can be found in our home turf of the Philippines. The latest case in point? Hodu-gwaja a.k.a. walnut cakes, as recently seen in King the Land.
LOOK: Walnut Cakes or Hodu-Gwaja as Seen in “King the Land”
The popular Korean pastry made a recent notable cameo in King the Land’s episode six, where Cheon Sa-rang (YoonA), Gu-won (Lee Jun Ho), and his secretary No Sang-sik (An Se Ha) have a lighthearted road trip back to Seoul, just after Sa-rang’s near-death experience on the mountains.
In the middle of the trip, the unlikely new trio takes a brief pitstop, with Sang-sik and Sa-rang returning to the car armed with a bevy of snacks. Among them was the hodu-gwaja, which Sa-rang offers to their designated driver Gu-won.
After some stubborn hesitation on Gu-won’s part, Sang-sik pulls Sa-rang’s hand away, much to the secret disappointment of his boss. He leaves with a suggestion, though: “Walnut cakes are best with coffee!”
Where to Buy Korean Walnut Cakes in Manila
For those wondering what exactly what that was, walnut cakes are known as popular street snacks that are easily found on highway rest stops in South Korea. Often, they are filled with sweetened red bean paste and small chunky walnuts, and sometimes, sweetened mung bean paste filling.
However, trips to South Korean rest stops aren’t mandatory for a taste of the snack, as some stores in Manila offer them. Spotted in the South at Alabang, Muntinlupa, the Korean food store Hodu Pops sells different variations of the classic snack.
Much like what South Korean travelers snack on mid-road trip, Hodu Pops’ take on the hodu-gwaja are made from baked dough formed to look like walnuts, which are then filled with red bean, cream cheese, or butter.
Prices differ depending on the filling and number of pieces, but they range from P90 for six pieces of red bean original to P900 for butter-filled cakes in a 30-piece package.
Interested? Hodu Pops is available at Greenhouse At Village Square Alabang, Muntinlupa City. For more information, visit their Facebook and Instagram.
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