Bibi’s ‘Bam Yang Gang’ revives traditional Korean dessert
“Bam Yang Gang,” a single released last month by singer-songwriter Bibi, has brought a breath of fresh air to the Korean music scene, notching the No. 1 spot on major streaming charts and outshining typical K-pop hits. “Bam Yang Gang” has managed to rank first on the real-time charts of Melon and Genie, among others, for more than two weeks as of Thursday.
In this feel-good song, Bibi sings about what she expected from her ex-boyfriend, which was not a lavish meal, but merely a “bamyanggaeng” — a combination of “bam,” the Korean word for sweet chestnut, and “yanggaeng,” a jelly-like traditional Korean dessert — which symbolizes simple yet genuine love.
This ode to authentic love has prompted people to explore this delicacy to get a taste of love, with many heading to Euljiro Jeokdang, a sleek cafe nestled in downtown Seoul’s Euljiro known for its unique twist on the traditional yanggaeng.
The dessert house stands out for its innovative approach to classic yanggaeng, offering flavors infused with modern ingredients such as milk tea and hazelnuts, enriching the traditional dessert with contemporary and sophisticated flair.
However, the classic bamyanggaeng is still the most popular treat among its visitors, according to Euljiro Jeokdang’s CEO, Kim Taehyung.
Kim, a former singer-actor, opened Euljiro Jeokdang in 2019, a few years after showcasing his signature yanggaeng on the second season of “Master Chef Korea” — a cooking game show that hit the air in 2013.
“Bamyanggaeng has long been our best-selling item, but its popularity has recently surged thanks to Bibi’s song,” Kim said during an interview with The Korea Times at Euljiro Jeokdang, Monday. “I could not believe this at first, but the sales of bamyanggaeng more than doubled after the namesake song became a smash hit.”
Euljiro Jeokdang is witnessing exponential growth in its number of visitors as well.
“Yanggaeng was mostly known as a dessert for the older generation, but today, people of all age groups are coming to our place to try it,” he said. “There are also some companies calling me to buy our product in bulk. I think this is a testament to the power of music and culture … I actually sent Instagram messages to Bibi and rapper Tiger JK — one of the founders of Bibi’s management company, Feel Ghood Music — to express my appreciation for rolling out a song named after bamyanggaeng.” The phenomenon extends beyond upscale yanggaeng, with convenience store chains such as CU and 7-Eleven reporting significant sales boosts in packaged yanggaeng products since the song’s debut. From its release on Feb. 13 to March 6, they reportedly saw a rise of up to 100 percent over the same period from last year in sales of “Yeon Yanggaeng,” the first yanggaeng product in Korea by Haitai Confectionery.
The chewy jelly is believed to have originated in China and was later introduced to Japan. Haitai then introduced the first Korean version in 1945, crafting Yeon Yanggaeng in a factory left behind by its Japanese owner following Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule. This adaptation was tailored to suit Korean tastes.
According to Euljiro Jeokdang CEO Kim, the process of making yanggaeng is in fact quite simple.
“You just have to boil red beans, sugar, agar powder and other ingredients in water and harden them,” explained Kim, who makes yanggaeng with his own hands every day.
“It is not a complicated process, but you have to pay attention to details that can change the flavor and texture of the dessert. When there is demand, I produce more than 1,000 bars of yanggaeng a day.”
As Kim continues to explore his passion for yanggaeng and innovation, Jeokdang is set to offer an even wider array of diverse, never-before-seen yanggaeng varieties in the days ahead.
One of them is “Makgeolli Yanggaeng,” which Euljiro Jeokdang plans to launch later this month, which felicitously blends Korean traditional rice wine and dessert to present an authentic taste of Korea to the world. Kim also opened Muwon, a new cafe in southern Seoul’s Gangnam District, to delight the taste buds of more confectionery enthusiasts.
“We have collaborated with the renowned makgeolli brewer Boksoondoga to create a new kind of yanggaeng,” Kim said. “With this approach, we believe we will be able to bring a genuine ‘Koreanness’ to the forefront. My goal is to maintain the lead in the market with timeless traditional desserts and to make them go global.”
Bamyanggaeng has long been our best-selling item, but its popularity has recently surged thanks to Bibi’s song.