Jeju songpyeon hits differently. Songpyeon is a traditional Korean rice cake often filled with sesame seeds, honey, red bean paste, or chestnuts and served at major holidays. But on Jeju Island…. It’s a bit different. Jeju-style songpyeon is round like a full moon while the mainland version is usually crescent-shaped. Some say the difference came about because rice was scarce on the island in the past, so families made them bigger in hopes of symbolizing abundance. The filling? Peeled mung beans or peas as I found online. The flavor is more savory and light compared to the sweet sesame or red bean fillings you might be used to. The more you chew, the more satisfying it becomes. If you’ve ever made songpyeon or even bought it from a local market, you know it needs to be eaten quickly because it hardens. At our local rice cake shop, the staff explained that Jeju songpyeon doesn’t harden like on the mainland. It stays chewy for days… were we skeptical? Sure. Was she right? Indeed. Into the third day and they are still chewy and delicious. This is one of those small regional differences that makes Korean food culture so interesting. Even something as familiar as songpyeon changes depending on where you are. Follow @thesoulofseoulblog for more insight into Korean food, culture, and travel. PS our local rice cake shop is very good. Save this spot for later: 📍 Myeongseong Rice Cake Shop Address: 1 Pyoseon Junggang-ro 90beon-gil, Pyoseon-myeon, Seogwipo-si #제주송편 #송편 #songpyeon #jejufood #koreanfood