BEST Korean Desserts – Shinsegae Gangnam Sweet Park in South Korea!! Today, we’re going to tell you about Sweet Park, a dessert paradise on the basement floor of Shinsegae Department Store in Gangnam, Seoul, South Korea.
What is Gangnam Sweet Park?
Gangnam Sweet Park is the largest dessert specialty store in Korea, located on the basement floor of Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam. It brings together famous desserts that can only be found overseas, as well as ‘K-desserts’ such as traditional Korean sweets and long-established bakeries, and is home to 43 brands in a space of about 5,300 square meters.
Sweets Park is home to Belgian luxury chocolatier Pierre Marcolini and Parisian bakery Mille Enfant, among others. In addition, the brand is opening in Gangnam for the first time in Korea, and the new conceptual store layout offers an unprecedented dessert experience.
Business hours start at 10:30 a.m. on both weekdays and weekends, and last until 8 p.m. on weekdays and 8:30 p.m. on weekends.
If you’re using public transportation, the store is located 42 meters from Exit 8 of the Gangnam Express Terminal Station on Lines 3, 7, and 9.
List of brands in Sweets Park
The following is a list of dessert brands in Sweet Parks
- American restaurants: Five Guys, Renwich
- First Korean shops: Pierre Marcollini, Gariguette, Milleant, Madame Pierreuse
- Dedicated MD opened in Gangnam: Minute Papillon, Patisserie Kitchen 205, Siznik
- First distributor: Index Caramel
- Other bakeries: Brouwer, Jeanne Blangerie, Taegeukdang, Borisupari, Scope, Le Pan, etc.
There are many other brands in the store. You’re sure to find a wide variety of desserts here.
Featured Sweets at Sweet Park
Sweet Park is home to a wide variety of dessert brands, and many of the menu items are popular. Here are a few of our favorite favorites
1. Pierre Marcolini
Pierre Marcolini is known as the Belgian royal chocolatier, and its chocolates, parfaits, and macarons are popular favorites. Pierre Marcolini’s main distinction from other chocolate brands is that the founder, Pierre, personally searches for the best cacao.
Pierre Marcolini’s chocolates are officially recognized by the Royal Family of Belgium, the country of chocolate, and the brand only has stores in Belgium, London, Paris, and Tokyo. The brand travels the world every year in search of the perfect cacao beans to make the best chocolate.
Pierre Marcolini’s desserts are known for their impressive textures and recipes, using only the freshest ingredients. The macarons named after Pierre Marcolini were delicious because they were pink and had some sort of chocolate or hazelnut cream inside. I love pistachios, so… The rose flavored one was also good. The combination of floral flavor and sweetness can be a hit or miss, but I like it.
Pierre Marcolini is a chocolate brand, but I also enjoyed the gelato and sorbet. The strawberry was a refreshing sorbet type with a raw flavor, and the vanilla had vanilla beans in it, and it was a very premium vanilla chewy gelato.
2. Garigette
Garigette is a famous dessert brand in Japan, and is located at Shinsegae Gangnam Branch’s Sweet Park. Garigette’s signature dessert is the Napoleon, which is a luxurious combination of a special custard cream and the sweetness of a generous amount of Shine Muscat.
Garriguette’s desserts aren’t made-to-order, but seem to be made in advance and prepared to be served quickly when ordered. While the desserts themselves are delicious, some diners have said that the wait time was so long that they would never go back.
The Napoleon in the Garriguette was so good that some people were very satisfied. They ate half of it, put it in the fridge, and ate it again the next day, and it was just as good the next day.
However, Garriguette’s desserts can be a hit or miss depending on personal preference, such as flavor and price. Some reviewers found Gariguette’s desserts to be flavorless, and others found them to be expensive, so you may want to take this into consideration when visiting Gariguette.
3. Minute Papillon
Minute Papillon is a cafe specializing in churros located in Apgujeong, and is becoming popular among many people these days.
Minute Papillon’s signature dish is the original churros served with deep chocolate. The churros are characterized by a crispy and chewy texture, which is even more delicious when eaten with deep chocolate. However, it’s not cheap at 8,800 won for 5 pieces.
The interior of Minute Papillon is a vintage pink and red color scheme that makes you feel like you’re in an Italian cafe in Europe. There are many people waiting inside and outside the store, so they have a system of registering and waiting through a waiting app.
However, reviews of Minute Papillon seem to vary depending on personal preference. Some reviewers say that the churros are mediocre in flavor, and others say that they are overpriced. In addition, the store is small and the wait is long, so it is sometimes difficult to get out once you sit down.
So, you may want to take this into consideration if you’re planning to visit Minute Papillon.
4. Le pain
Le pain is a bakery located at B103, 74 Myeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, and sells various types of bread. One of their signature dishes is the ‘Gongju Chestnut Bread’, which is made with naturally fermented sourdough that is both healthy and delicious.
Le Bain’s strawberry cake is also popular among many people. The strawberry cake is refreshingly delicious without being overpowering, and is especially recommended for those looking for a good strawberry cake⁵. Le Bain also allows you to purchase bread by reservation, so you can get the bread you want when you want it.
However, reviews of Le Bain seem to vary depending on personal preference. Some reviewers find the flavor of the bread to be mediocre, and others find the prices to be high, so you may want to take this into consideration when visiting Le Bain.
5. Slyfox
Slyfox is a cafe located in the Gwangju business district that serves a wide variety of desserts and drinks.
One of the representative menus of Slyfox is the ‘1854 Cream Coffee’, which is a thick flat white with a lot of cream and sweets on top, and you can scoop the cream and taste it before sipping it. It is said that it is the most savory coffee in the world without being sweet.
Sly Fox also sells a variety of different types of shu. The matcha choux is delicious with a refreshing cream inside, and the lemon choux is soft and delicious with a refreshing cream¹. The strawberry shoe is sweet and delicious with strawberry cream and strawberries.
The interior of Sly Fox has a Harry Potter feel, and there are many people waiting inside and outside the store, so they have a system to register and wait through a waiting app.
However, reviews of Sly Fox seem to vary depending on personal preference. Some reviewers found the desserts to be mediocre in flavor, and others found the prices to be high, so you may want to take this into consideration if you’re planning to visit Sly Fox.
6. Patisserie Kitchen 205
Patisserie Kitchen 205 is a strawberry cake specialty store located in the basement of Lotte World Mall. Kitchen 205’s signature dish is the ‘Strawberry Field Cake’, which is characterized by its soft and light creamy flavor using 100% animal cream. Also, the strawberries are really fresh and delicious, so it is popular among strawberry cake lovers.
However, reviews of the Kitchen 205 seem to vary depending on personal preference. Some reviewers found the sheets to be a bit flimsy, and others found the price to be high, so you may want to take this into consideration if you’re planning to visit Kitchen 205.
Gangnam Sweet Park recommended
Gangnam Sweet Park is also recommended for international tourists. Gangnam Sweet Park is popular among many people because it has many brands offering a variety of sweets and drinks.
Sweet Park is home to brands such as Shoto, Scope, Hanjeongsun, and Auchi. Shoto is famous for its strawberry cakes, Scope sells large scones, Hanjeongsun sells fruit mochi, and Auchi sells ice cream.
However, the flavors of each brand may vary depending on your personal taste, so it is recommended that you try several brands. Also, Sweet Park can be crowded on weekends and holidays, so you may want to take this into consideration.
If you visit Gangnam Sweet Park, you will be able to enjoy a wide variety of desserts. We hope you enjoy your experience! 😊
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What are the opening hours?
A. We are open daily from 10:30-20:00, with extended hours until 20:30 on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Q. What kind of vendors are there?
A. There are more than 50 vendors, including Five Guys, Minutepapillon, Noted, Casapabo, Fortnum & Mason, Pierre Marcolini, Munchies & Goodies, and Kastypie. You can see the full list of merchants here.
Q. How do I get to Sweetpark?
A. Sweet Park is located at Express Terminal Station, get off at Line 3 and head up Honam Line. Take the escalator up and enter the entrance of Shinsegae Department Store on the right, facing the ABC Mart. A detailed map can be found here.
