WHAT’S HOT: While Korean food, movies and music continue to trend across the globe, one of the most accessible ways you can immerse yourself in one of the world’s coolest cultures is at a bakery.

Major chains like Tous Le Jours and Paris Baguette haven’t yet made it to our shores, but we’ve been lucky to see a black-sesame-seed-sprinkling of new independent K-bakeries across our cities. Stack your tray with sweet buns with a crunchy sugar crust (soboro-ppang), twisted cinnamon doughnuts (kkwabaegi), and hot dog rolls (sausage ppang). And don’t forget the dalgona coffee.

You might recognise the familiar shape of croissants and danishes, but peel back the layers and you’ll discover unique flavours and textures that reflect South Korean tastes.

TRY IT: PLOT, MELBOURNE
Newly opened Korean bakery Plot in Essenden specialises in salt bread (sogeum ppang), and they’ve added plenty of their own delicious Plot twists. The sogeum is made from a pillowy milk bread which is rolled up with a stick of salted butter inside. As the bread bakes, the shell hardens, while the inside stays butter-soft (literally). Try the OG or one of the many variations, filled with melon, garlic butter and egg potato salad. 

THE LIBRARY BAKERY, MELBOURNE
It’s a new chapter for the team behind North Melbourne’s Baguette Studios.  Inspired by her childhood memories of peanut butter bread, owner Aileen Seo has turned these nostalgic flavours into a pastry “book” filled with peanut butter cream, praline and salted caramel. Or browse through the other items, which include a tiramisu flan and yakgwa honey cookie.

THE BUTTER ROOM, MELBOURNE
Like the BTS K-pop song, everything is smooth like butter at this inner city bakery and cafe, from its margarine-coloured walls to its fresh, hot, buttery aroma.  Husband and wife team Hong Kim and Ara Cho add the not-so-secret ingredient to everything from black sesame croissants to garlic chilli hotdogs and strawberry cream cake.

MOON PHASE, SYDNEY
Like the moon, croissants here go through various phases over a five-day period before they emerge as a perfect shining crescent. Owners and partners Frances and Jiyoon Song had planned to open their cafe in Seoul, but ended up in St Leonards instead. The kimcheese croissant and Korean spicy pork pastry make for delicious tributes to the motherland.

TENACIOUS BAKEHOUSE, SYDNEY
Former Lode pastry chef Yeongjin Park has opened a Korean-inspired bakery in Darlinghurst. The lofty line-up includes French x Korean bakery treats like kimcheese croissants, fermented tomato pastries and creamy corn tarts. A new renovation means you can now dine in and drop your crumbs in-situ.

BAKE IT, BAKERY & CAFE, BRISBANE
Korean milk cream doughnuts are the top order at this unassuming bakery cafe in Underwood. Owner & patissier Eunji Shin’s delicious deep-fried doughnut balls filled with strawberry, tiramisu and Oreo flavoured cream are commonly found in mukbang (eating) videos online. The house-baked milk bread also serves as a delicious base for breakfast items including a brulee French toast and Korean honey butter bread.

SNUG, BRISBANE
This cute little spot in Brisbane’s inner city serves up Korean cafe favourites and home-baked pastries, from fresh Korean pretzel rolls to seasonal croissants and pastries. For the best possible start to the day, try the Korean egg drop sandwich, filled with softly scrambled eggs on buttery brioche. Add on a St ALi coffee or a hojicha latte, and you’ll be happy to stay curled up here all day.

Related story: Bulgogi and bibimbap are just the beginning at Sydney’s best Korean restaurants