A popular Korean pancake whose crispy exterior gives way to a soft, sweet syrup filling, Hotteok has long been one of the country’s most cherished street food snacks – especially on a cold winter day.
Dating back to the 19th Century, Hotteok was invented by the Chinese merchants that had followed their country’s soldiers into Korea; once the soldiers left, many of the merchants decided to stay in Korea and make a living selling their savory Chinese pancakes. However, once they realized that the Korean people preferred a sweet filling as opposed to a savory one, the recipe was altered, thus giving birth to Hotteok.