Source: https://heyseorak.com/spots/abai-gonggal-bbang
Last-Updated: 2026-05-14

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# Abai Gonggal Bread (아바이공갈빵)

> Say the romanized name when ordering. Staff will understand even if your pronunciation isn't perfect.

Category: bakery | Type: eat, shop | Area: abai | Price range: budget
Address: 326-1 Cheongchohoban-ro, Sokcho, Gangwon
Phone: 0507-1419-1877
Hours: Mon–Tue 09:50-20:00, Wed–Thu Closed, Fri–Sun 09:50-20:00 (Closed every Wednesday and Thursday. Hours may vary by season and batch availability.)
English menu available: Yes

## Trust and freshness
- Verification: interview / 2026-05-14
- Menu freshness: updated 2026-05-14T15:10:17.36619+00:00

A one-item snack stop in Abai Village near the Gaetbae ferry. The specialty is gonggal-ppang: a thin, crisp, round bread that is completely hollow inside, with sweetness coming from a sugar-honey glaze on the inner shell. Taste a sample if offered, then buy a KRW 10,000 bag and crack the bread into pieces to share.

Pro tip: Follow the snack-shop flow: try the sample if offered, buy one KRW 10,000 bag, then crack the hollow bread into pieces. It tastes better with coffee or tea, but buy the drink from a nearby cafe and bring the bread along.

## Story

### How it started
The owner first tasted gonggal-ppang in Incheon Chinatown, where the bread is famous, but felt the crust was too thick and hot for many Sokcho visitors. After years of selling popular tare snacks, she shifted with the food trend and developed a thinner, crisper Sokcho-style version that locals and travelers could enjoy more comfortably. The shop has now operated in this location for more than ten years.

### Philosophy
The shop is built around one clear product rather than a long menu. The owner keeps the bread thin, crisp, and easy to share, and treats small acts of hospitality toward travelers as part of representing Sokcho and Korea.

### Signature
Gonggal-ppang literally means hollow bread. This version is a brittle round shell with almost no filling space inside; the sweetness comes from a sugar-honey glaze spread along the inner crust. Instead of biting into a soft bun, crack it first and eat the sweet, crisp pieces by hand.

### Finding the place
The shop sits by the Gaetbae ferry approach in Abai Village. During busy seasons, people waiting for the ferry or walking over from parked cars naturally pass the storefront. It is not a cafe, so pair the bread with coffee or tea from a nearby shop if you want a better snack break.

### Seasonal notes
High season brings more walk-up traffic from the ferry line and Abai Village route. Many regulars from Busan, Gyeongju, Jeolla, and other parts of Korea use the bread as a reason to revisit Sokcho.

### For international visitors
Foreign visitors have increased with cruise passengers. Many first notice Koreans tasting samples, then try the unfamiliar hollow bread with curiosity. The owner often offers a piece, or even a small takeaway gift, to interested foreign travelers because she sees that kindness as both her own face and Korea's face.

> 작게는 내 얼굴이지만 크게는 우리나라 얼굴. - In a small way it is my face, but in a bigger way it is Korea's face.

## Dietary Summary
- Total menu items: 1
- Common allergens: gluten

## Menu

### Signature Bread (대표 메뉴)

- **Gonggal-ppang** (공갈빵 1봉) — ₩10,000 ⭐ Signature
  A thin, crispy round bread that is completely hollow inside. The inner shell is brushed with a sweet sugar-honey glaze, so you crack the bread and eat the crunchy pieces.
  Ingredients: Wheat flour, Sugar glaze | Allergens: gluten | Serving: Try a sample if offered, then ask for one bag. Crack the hollow bread into pieces; it pairs well with coffee or tea from a nearby cafe.