Gyeongju Yakgwabang Review: Best Kaesong Juak Desserts

Hey everyone! It's your favorite travel explorer here.

When you're visiting the historic city of Gyeongju, the absolute trendiest hotspot you have to visit is Hwangridan-gil!

While this vibrant street is packed with incredible sights and mouthwatering treats, there's one traditional dessert that completely stole the spotlight:

Kaesong Juak (traditional Korean glazed donuts)!!!!

Here is my honest review of Gyeongju Yakgwabang, a stunning Hwangridan-gil cafe serving the most delicious Kaesong Juak :>

📍 1074 Poseok-ro, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do (North Dong, 1st Floor)

⏱️ Daily 10:30 AM - 9:00 PM

🅿️ No parking available (we highly recommend using a nearby public parking lot!)

💰 Prices: Kaesong Juak 4-piece set: ~$7 / Kaesong Juak 8-piece set: ~$13 / Gyeongju Yakgwa 8-piece set: ~$11

✅ Note: Kaesong Juak comes out fresh daily at 12:00 PM, so make sure to get there early before they sell out!

✅ Pop Culture Trivia: This is the exact dessert brand featured on the popular Korean variety show 'Pinggyego,' where it was gifted to Yoo Jae-suk and BLACKPINK's Jennie!

✅ Official Instagram: @yakgwabang

1. Getting to Gyeongju Yakgwabang in Hwangridan-gil

📍 Gyeongju Yakgwabang
1074 Poseok-ro, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do (North Dong, 1st Floor)

Located right on the main street of Hwangridan-gil, Gyeongju Yakgwabang is super easy to find.

The building itself has a unique, eye-catching architectural style that blends traditional Korean aesthetics with modern design.

Honestly, as you walk by and see those gorgeous, glossy glutinous rice treats, how could you possibly resist stepping inside? 💜

My husband and I are huge fans of "halmeonial" (the trendy Korean term for "granny-chic" retro-traditional flavors), so we were instantly drawn in.

The Incredible Kaesong Juak Selection

Behold the signature Kaesong Juak at Gyeongju Yakgwabang!

I have never seen such a stunning and diverse display of these treats in my life. 🥹

They don't just serve the classic original flavor; they offer a whopping 8 different creative varieties! 🩷

Classic Glutinous Rice / Valrhona Chocolate / Fresh Gyeongju Strawberry / Oreo / Ube / Salted Caramel / Mugwort Injeolmi / Apple Cinnamon

And yes, they have an awesome 8-piece box set that lets you taste every single flavor! You can choose to get one of each or customize the box with your absolute favorites.

With beautifully designed 4-piece and 8-piece gift boxes available, these make the ultimate, elegant souvenir to bring back from your Gyeongju trip.

Aside from Kaesong Juak, they also specialize in traditional Yakgwa (honey cookies).

We happened to visit right at 3:00 PM when their fresh Jireumtteok (pan-fried sweet rice cakes) were coming out, so of course, we had to grab some of those too! Haha!

Our Honest Taste Test Review

After a delicious dinner, we headed back to our traditional Hanok accommodation and opened up our Gyeongju Yakgwabang box for the perfect late-night dessert! 🩷

Quick travel tip: be careful when carrying them! Our box got shaken up a bit while we were moving our luggage, so the toppings on the outer pieces got slightly smushed. I'm so sorry, my beautiful little treats! 😭

These glossy, perfectly shaped Kaesong Juak looked so appetizing and unique that we spent several minutes debating which flavor to try first! 😂

I chose the Gyeongju Strawberry, and my husband opted for the Mugwort first.

The bright, tangy sweetness of the fresh strawberry paired with the rich, chewy, honey-glazed texture of the Juak was an incredibly delightful and modern combination!

The Mugwort flavor is the ultimate king of retro Korean treats. The deep, earthy herbal notes paired perfectly with the sweet glutinous rice dough!

Even though we were completely stuffed from our dinner, we still managed to happily eat two pieces each right away... 🤣

Since these are fresh and best enjoyed quickly, we even had the remaining ones for breakfast the next morning to kick off our day!

With a wonderfully crispy exterior and a super chewy, moist, syrup-filled interior, Gyeongju Yakgwabang's Kaesong Juak is an absolute culinary masterpiece. 🩷

If you are looking for a unique dessert experience or the perfect classy gift to bring home from Gyeongju, I highly recommend stopping by Gyeongju Yakgwabang! :>

P.S. The Jireumtteok (pan-fried rice cake) was also crispy on the outside and incredibly chewy inside. Eating it fresh right after it came out was pure heaven! 😋