Food
Bowls of bingsu offer sweet relief and pretty visuals
Red bean bingsu is the classic choice for everyone.
Green tea's earthy flavor balances bingsu's sweetness.
Mango bingsu. The combination of sweet and tart mango with ice flakes that cool your mouth is the ultimate summer dessert.
As the weather heats up, foods that cool down are essential to revitalize an exhausted body and mind in a steamy summer. What if the food to make you cooler is airy, fluffy, sweet, and sometimes looks super extravagant? Now it's time to meet shaved ice, called "bingsu" in Korean, the best summer dessert in Busan.
From red bean to mango, bingsu evolves
Bingsu can be traced back to the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Back then, people in Hanyang, the capital of the Joseon Dynasty located in modern-day Seoul, got ice from the Hangang River in winter and stored it in iceboxes called "seobingo" or "bingo." However, due to the scarcity of iceboxes, seobingo was only accessible to the elite classes. In the summer, nobles would crush the stored ice into small pieces and enjoy it with fruit.
After the Japanese colonial era, an ice-making technique was introduced to the Korean Peninsula, and bingsu became widely consumed. In the 1980s, bingsu makers entered the market so people could easily enjoy the summer dessert at home.
The classic "patbingsu" features shaved ice topped with sweet red bean, condensed milk and sticky rice cake.
These days, it is common to see "nunkkotbingsu" or "snowflake shaved ice." In this case, the shaved ice is milk-based. The resulting ice retains its airy and delicate texture while being rich and creamy, the perfect base for any number of toppings.
Speaking of toppings, modern menus have evolved past the basic red bean paste. Seasonal fruits, like kiwis, berries and peaches are popular toppings. Breakfast cereals, cookies and nuts provide a crunchy element. Some cafes offer bingsu flavors that sound like ice cream－chocolate, cookies and cream, green tea or coffee. Some will even top bingsu with other desserts, like ice cream, cheesecake or tiramisu. On the most luxurious end of the bingsu spectrum, bowls of ice are topped with eye-popping amounts of fresh mango.
One of the most successful bingsu specialty businesses is Sulbing. Founded as a rice cake shop in Busan in 2010, the franchise now has nearly 500 stores across 16 countries worldwide.
Sulbing's rise resulted from the founder Jung Sun-hee's willingness to upend tradition. At her rice cake shop, Siru, she began making nunkkotbingsu topped with "injeolmi," rice cakes coated in roasted grain powder. Instead of the traditional sweet red bean, the roasted grain powder adds a savory element that harmonizes with the slightly sweet milk base.
Sulbing also made bingsu a dessert for all seasons by offering seasonal variations. In winter, strawberry bingsu is a top seller. In summer, melon bingsu is popular. In addition, the menu has flavors that are popular throughout the year, including green tea, chocolate brownie and blueberry cheesecake.
From neighborhood cafes to specialty stores to luxury hotel restaurants, bowls of bingsu are easy to find citywide. While it is a crowd-pleaser during the summer, bingsu, like ice cream, is best enjoyed in any season.
Tip to enjoy bingsu: If the ice and toppings are mixed at the beginning, you might not enjoy the taste until the bottom of the bowl. To enjoy the authentic taste of bingsu, it is recommended to scoop up rather than mix. Eat bingsu roughly from top to bottom, adding layers to your spoon, which means each bite has a different taste depending on the topping you scooped up.
Busan bingsu cafes
◎Sulbing
Korean dessert cafe franchise Sulbing offers a wide range of bingsu variations.
。Hours: Store hours vary.
。Price: ￦9,500 for Injeolmi Sulbing, ￦13,900 for Mango Cheese Sulbing, ￦12,900 for Oreo Chocolate Monster Sulbing.
To find the store closest to you, visit (sulbing.com).
◎Yongho Halmae Patbingsu Danpatjuk (용호동할매팥빙수단팥죽)
Shaved ice with red beans and red bean porridge have been longtime local favorites at this 40-year-old business, operated by second-generation owners.
。Address: 24 Yongho-ro 90beon-gil, Nam-gu
。Hours: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., opens until 10:30 p.m. in summer.
。Price: ￦4,000 for Patbingsu, ￦4,000 for Danpatjuk.
Namcheon Nokcha Patbingsu (남천녹차팥빙수)
Namcheon Nokcha Patbingsu is one such place, known for its addition of green tea powder on the top of the bingsu.
。Address: 28 Suyeong-ro 394beon-gil, Suyeong-gu
。Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
。Price: ￦4,000 for Patbingsu, ￦4,000 for Danpatjuk (Sweet Red Bean Porridge).
<Vocab Spotlight>
exhausted: 지친
extravagant: 사치스러운
scarcity: 희소성
condensed: 응축된
authentic: 정통