K-drama Snack Fix: Korean Snacks Box Review

You know when you're watching a K-drama and you see the characters eating treats of all kinds, and suddenly you feel like you need to eat that thing RIGHT NOW? (I have consumed a shameful amount of ramen this way. Seriously, ramen companies should be the ones paying for product placement—not Subway.)

A while ago, I saw some of my fellow K-drama-loving buddies posting about Korean snack box subscriptions that they tried out. Well, if you've ever been curious how those snack boxes work—and, more importantly, how those snack boxes taste—I decided to give one a whirl and share my experience.

Disclosure: Korean Snacks Box provided a free box for me to try. If you decide you're interested in trying it out and buy some snacks through this post, I receive a small payment. But rest assured, I will never lie about food—all opinions in this review are my own.

What's in the Box?

Every month, Korean Snacks Boxes has a different set of snacks to match the monthly theme. Because I got the November box, I got the Pepero Day theme. 

I'm not going to lie. I am a creature of anticipation, so half the fun of the whole thing was waiting to see what I would get in my box. That's right—I already knew the month's theme and could pretty easily guess that there would be quite a bit of Pepero in there, and I was still checking my mail like a little kid. Look, I like packages, okay?

Here's what I found when I opened my box (I got a Medium):

I honestly forgot that the snacks come in a cute little Bokjumeoni (silk bag). I have no idea what I'm going to put inside said cute little bag now that the snacks are gone, but that's a problem for another day.

I also liked that it came with a note explaining the various snacks and a little bit about Pepero Day.

I'd like to say that I'm going to save some Pepero sticks they sent for November 11 so I can force my husband to reenact all those Pepero games you see on variety shows, but that's just a dirty lie. The second I opened the box, I already ripped one of those packets open. We all have our weaknesses.

How Did the Korean Snacks Taste?

Both my husband and I tried all of the snacks in the box. Here's a rundown of what we thought.

SNACK #1: PEPERO STICKS

There were three types of Pepero in the box: Almond, Vanilla Black Cookie (aka "don't sue me" speak for Oreo), and Original. If you're unfamiliar with Pepero, they're basically cookie sticks dipped in various types of chocolate. For those who have tried Japanese Pocky before, Pepero is a similar idea, but the sticks tend to be thicker (and have a thicker coating as well).

My husband and I both really like Pepero, so it's no surprise that we were fans. My husband particularly liked the Oreo—I mean, generic vanilla black cookie—flavor, which reminded him of cookies 'n' cream bars. I think my favorite was the almond.

Cat for...scale?
She just assumes that all snacks are her snacks (and promptly proceeded to sit in the box).

We were both kind of meh on the Original. It had the lowest chocolate-to-cookie ratio, and the plain chocolate has a slight aftertaste. (My husband asked if it was strawberry flavored before I told him what it was.) Even so, Pepero is always going to be tasty any any form, and we shouldn't have any problems polishing them all off pretty soon.

Verdict: The Song Joong Ki of Korean snacks. A classic love that will never fade.

SNACK #2: REAL BROWNIE

Yup, "Real Brownie" is the actual name of the snack. As it turns out, if you have to put "real" in the name, maybe that means you're overcompensating for something....

Husband: "Real" brownie, huh?

Me: This tastes like cardboard and sadness.

Not the most flattering photo ever taken in my life.
Then again, this is my legit "trying out snacks" outfit.

Verdict: If Pepero is the Song Joong Ki of snacks, this is the...Marry Him If You Dare of snacks. You're intrigued by the advertising, and then it leaves you with a bad taste in your mouth.

SNACK #3: CHOCO PIE

Om nom nom nom. 

Choco Pies may not be the objectively tastiest food out there, but they're just so fun to eat. They make me kick my feet like I'm a little kid again.

Basically me inhaling that thing

Verdict: Like Cheer Up, it's fluffy, a little bit nostalgic, and a lot of fun.

SNACK #4: MALANG STRAWBERRY MILK CANDY

I don't know what to call these. They're little strawberry gummy puffs that come in (very cute) individually wrapped packets. 

Me: I...I don't know what's in my mouth right now.

Husband: It tastes like a Hi-Chew and a marshmallow had sex—but not in a good way.

Verdict: My mouth was confused, but mostly because of the texture rather than the flavor. I was trying to make a K-drama comparison to match the other verdicts, but the only possible comparison is G-dragon's hair—not necessarily bad, just a little perplexing.

Exactly this in snack form.

Would I Try Korean Snack Boxes Again?

I think for me, it would depend on the monthly theme. Not every snack is going to be a hit every time, so it's probably best to accept that up front. That being said, if you don't live near an Asian market, this could be a fun way to try something new and taste some of the snacks you see on shows that you wouldn't otherwise have access to. I also really like the fun of getting a box of surprise treats in the mail, so that's a selling point for me. 

The little note inside the November box said next month will have "Christmas and winter themed snacks that will keep you warm and healthy in the cold winter months." I have no idea what that means, but, as someone whose guilty pleasure is watching terrible Christmas made-for-TV movies right around this time of year, I'm all for it.

How Korean Snack Boxes Work

THE SHORT VERSION

You sign up for a monthly snack box subscription on the Korean Snacks Boxes website. You get snacks in the mail every month. You feed your K-drama habit while chowing down on Korean snacks.

THE LONGER VERSION

The website offers two basic subscription packages: Medium (5–10 treats/month) and Large (10–15 treats/month). Once you pick a size, you can then choose whether you want to may month to month, quarterly, or annually. If you pay quarterly, you save $1 per box, and if you pay annually, you save $2 per box. Shipping is free, and it ships worldwide.

Pro Tip: There's no reason to sign up for a month-to-month subscription. If you plan on buying more than two months, pay quarterly and save a couple of bucks. If you plan on only buying one or two months, Korean Snacks Boxes sells gift boxes that are the same exact price and won't hit your autopay if you forget to cancel.

Have You Tried Korean Snack Boxes?

For those of you who have tried these boxes on a regular basis, what did you think? How was the mix month to month? What Korean snacks are your personal favorites? Share your responses in the comments!

If you're interested in trying out a snack box, you can still buy the Pepero ones through November 15. (If you buy through that link, I get paid for referring you.) After that, you can sign up for the next month's box or a recurring subscription.

Happy snacking!