I stopped at a CU convenience store in Seoul in October 2026 and photographed what’s on the shelves right now, with real prices and this month’s deals. These aren’t sponsored picks. They’re the snacks I buy, the ones I see the people around me buying, and a couple I photographed just because they surprised me.
Quick picks: Oh!Gamja if you only try one Korean snack. Barista Rules vanilla bean latte if you like your coffee sweet. Anything from the Ottogi “black pepper” and “curry” lines if you want to taste flavors every Korean kitchen knows. Jjolbyung for a ₩1,200 crunch. In October 2026, CU has many of these on 2+1 (buy two, get one free).
1. Orion Oh!Gamja (오!감자)
Hollow, crunchy potato sticks, and the flavor I photographed is potato gratin (감자그라탕맛), cheesy and a little sweet. My personal favorite Korean snack is Orion’s Pocachip (포카칩) potato chips, and Oh!Gamja is one of the very few snacks I’d put on the same level. It seems to be what everyone around me is buying lately. If you only grab one Korean snack, make it this one.
2. Barista Rules Madagascar Vanilla Bean Latte
Maeil Dairies’ Barista Rules cups sit in the convenience store fridge, ready to drink (325 ml, 210 kcal). Of all the convenience store coffees I’ve tried, the Madagascar vanilla bean latte (마다가스카르 바닐라빈 라떼) is my favorite. It’s sweet, so it’s for people who like a sweet latte, not for black-coffee purists.
3. Ottogi Black Pepper Everything (순후추)
Every Korean kitchen has the same pepper shaker: Ottogi’s Sun Hujut (순후추, “pure black pepper”), finely ground black pepper. Ottogi is now turning that famous pepper into whole products, and I couldn’t resist photographing two of them.
- Black Pepper Powder Chicken (순후추치킨): a frozen pack of boneless fried chicken (180 g). Heat it in the store’s microwave for 1 minute 40 seconds (at 1,000 W), as printed on the pack.
- Black Pepper Powder Popcorn (순후추팝콘): 55 g for ₩1,900, on 2+1 at CU through October 31, 2026.
4. Nongshim Jjolbyung (쫄병스낵)
Chewy-crunchy little snacks made from ramyeon-style noodles. When I was a soldier doing my military service, Jjolbyung was the snack I ate most. Jjolbyung literally means “lowly private,” so it fits. Now there are lots of flavors: Jjapagetti (the black-bean ramyeon), barbecue and spicy, each ₩1,200. If you want something small and quick to munch on, this is it.
5. Ottogi Curry and Corn Soup Crispy Rolls
Ottogi’s other kitchen classic is its yellow curry, the curry most Koreans grew up on. Like the black pepper, it’s now a snack: curry crispy rolls (카레 크리스피롤, mildly spicy) and corn cream soup crispy rolls (콘크림스프 크리스피롤), each ₩1,900 and on 2+1 at CU in October 2026. If you want to taste the flavors Koreans think of as comfort food, start here. Next to them: Haitai’s Jagabee honey butter (₩2,000, also 2+1) and Orion’s thick-cut Mutteukttuk potato chips (₩2,000).
October 2026 Prices at CU
| Product | Price | Deal |
|---|---|---|
| Ottogi black pepper popcorn (55 g) | ₩1,900 | 2+1 |
| Ottogi curry / corn soup crispy roll | ₩1,900 each | 2+1 |
| Haitai Jagabee honey butter | ₩2,000 | 2+1 |
| Orion Mutteukttuk potato chips (60 g) | ₩2,000 | — |
| Nongshim Jjolbyung (3 flavors) | ₩1,200 each | — |
| Strawberry / blueberry toast cracker | ₩2,500 each | — |
Deals change every month, and 2+1 means you need to buy three of the items in that deal group to get one free. Prices are from one CU store and can vary slightly between stores.
Order like a local
이거 2+1이에요?
Igeo tu-peulleoseu-wonieyo?
“Is this two-plus-one?”
전자레인지 써도 돼요?
Jeonjareinji sseodo dwaeyo?
“Can I use the microwave?” For the black pepper chicken.
봉투 필요 없어요.
Bongtu piryo eopseoyo.
“I don’t need a bag.” Bags cost extra in Korea.
FAQ
What is the most popular Korean convenience store snack right now?
From what I see in Seoul in October 2026, Orion’s Oh!Gamja is one of the snacks people around me buy most, alongside classic potato chips like Pocachip.
What is 2+1 at Korean convenience stores?
Buy two items from the same deal group and get a third free. Look for the orange 2+1 tags on the shelf, which also show the deal dates.
What is Ottogi Sun Hujut?
Ottogi’s finely ground black pepper, the shaker found in almost every Korean kitchen. Ottogi now sells black pepper chicken and popcorn based on it.
