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Pepero Day is a unique, but popular Korean tradition where people exchange the chocolate-covered snack on November 11th.
Kids of all ages in the country gear up buying tons of boxes to exchange on the day with friends, classmates and lovers.
Here’s some interesting facts about Pepero Day in Korea.
1. Pepero’s should be given out at 11:11 – The snack which resembles the number one is best given out at 11:11, preferably even at 11 seconds. The myth is that the receiver will make the person skinny.
2. Nearly 30% of sales for the year are sold this week – Of course it’s a marketing gimmick, but the makers of the snack rake in most of their profits this week from sales. Convenience stores also report their highest sales day each year on Pepero Day.
3. Pepero Day started in Busan – Well, at least according to Pepero Day lore. In 1994, a group of middle-school girls gave the snacks to each other in hopes of being skinny. Though the story has never been verified, its the version that gets the most credence in Korean media. Pocky, Japan’s version of the snack, began Pocky Day in 1999.
4. Pocky and Pepero have a pretty intense rivalry – Pocky claims that Pepero is a copycat of its product. Pocky introduced their snack in 1966, while the Pepero, Korea’s version of the snack, debuted in 1983. Meanwhile, Lotte Confectionary claims that Pocky Day is a copycat of Pepero Day.
5. There is such a thing as “Nude Pepero” – Among a host of flavors that the snack comes in, one is called “Nude Pepero”. This version of the snack sees the chocolate on the inside, not the outside.
