July bingsu collection7월 빙수 모음집

Bingsu is Korea's ultimate summer dessert. It's hard to imagine a Korean summer without it. The history of bingsu actually goes much further back than I expected. During the Joseon Dynasty, ice was stored in government-run ice houses called “binggo,” and crushed ice was enjoyed with fruit and other toppings. As ice became more widely available in the early 20th century, bingsu became accessible to the general public, and for decades, when Koreans said “bingsu,” they were usually talking about “patbingsu,” or shaved ice topped with sweet red beans.

Nowadays, though, there are countless versions of bingsu. Strawberry, matcha, chocolate, melon, peach, and basically every fruit you can imagine have found their way onto shaved ice. Still, when I think of the most classic, original bingsu, I think of red bean. Interestingly, though, I ended up eating mango bingsu more than anything else this summer.

I think red bean is one of those flavors that people either love or don't really care for, while mango is much easier for everyone to enjoy. Mango bingsu also wasn't always this popular in Korea. The premium mango bingsu trend really took off after luxury hotels began piling fresh, often Jeju-grown mangoes onto milk-based shaved ice and selling them at surprisingly expensive prices. The Shilla Jeju first introduced its apple mango bingsu in 2008, followed by the Seoul Shilla in 2011, and the dessert helped start the now-famous luxury hotel bingsu competition.

Of course, you don't need to spend a fortune at a luxury hotel to enjoy good mango bingsu. There are so many cafes making their own versions, along with countless other creative bingsus. So, here are all the bingsus I had throughout July!

I came here with my friends after making rings in Yeonnam. Since it was such a hot day, we wanted something cold to cool ourselves down, and that led us to NUKNOK.

Apparently, the name NUKNOK was inspired by Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. The concept is based around stepping away from the busy and competitive rhythm of everyday life and embracing a slower, more peaceful way of spending time. Honestly, I think that idea fit perfectly with what we were doing that afternoon.

The Happy Peach Bingsu came with milk ice, peach syrup, peach preserves, and even a little four-leaf clover on top. The combination of the refreshing yogurt ice cream, soft peach, and creamy milk ice worked so well together. Everything practically melted in my mouth.

What I especially loved were the larger pieces of peach preserves hidden throughout the bingsu. Every time I came across one, the fruity flavor became much stronger, balancing the rich milk ice and sweet peach syrup. It was exactly the kind of dessert that makes you think, “Yep. Summer really is bingsu season.” My friend especially loves bingsu, so it was even better getting to enjoy it together.

The next day, I was back at a bingsu place with my friends. We had lunch at Hyundai Department Store Apgujeong and came here for dessert afterward. Cafe Mongi is already quite famous for its bingsu and desserts, and I had actually visited several times before, so this wasn't my first time trying it.

The Meringue Bingsu is Caffe Mongi's signature menu. The outside is covered in a layer of meringue, while the inside is filled with lemon ice and lemon zest, creating a combination of sweetness and bright citrus acidity. The contrast is honestly so unusual, but once you take the first bite, it becomes strangely addictive.

My friends actually preferred the chocolate cake we ordered on the side, but as someone who loves meringue, I was devouring the bingsu. The crisp, airy meringue gives the dessert a light sweetness before the lemon ice cuts through it with a refreshing sourness.

Guys, this is fusion, right? Who even thought of covering bingsu with meringue! Grateful to have this bingsu in Korea!

Just a few days later, I was back at the same cafe, but this time with my mom. Since I had already tried the Meringue Bingsu recently, I decided to go for what I would consider the more classic choices: the Classic Red Bean Bingsu and the Strawberry Cream Bingsu.

One of my favorite things about Caffe Mongi's bingsu is actually the rice cake, or tteok, on top. I genuinely think it's some of the best bingsu rice cake I've ever had. It's incredibly soft and chewy, and I think it plays a much bigger role than you might expect.

You know that moment when you've been eating cold bingsu for a while and suddenly you're like, “Ah… my teeth are cold… Should I stop eating now?” That's exactly when the chewy rice cake comes in. You take a bite of that soft, stretchy tteok, and suddenly you're ready to start eating the ice again.

The Strawberry Cream Bingsu was another fusion style creation, which was topped with cotton candy. It was definitely tasty, and I liked how the cotton candy made the whole thing look much more playful. The strawberry and cream combination itself was familiar and easy to enjoy, although personally, I don't think I'd order it again over some of their other options. It was fun to try, but I think the Classic Red Bean Bingsu was more satisfying for me. I just love red beans.

If I had to choose my number one bingsu of the month, this would probably be it.

I've eaten Roys' bingsu almost every time I visit the Jamsil Lotte World Mall, and the mango bingsu has become my personal go-to. This time, I went with my mom, my aunt and my cousin who were visiting from the United States.

One thing I especially love about Roys is that you can choose the type of ice for the mango bingsu. You can choose between milk ice and mango ice, and I almost always go for the mango ice. If you're already going to eat mango bingsu, why not go all the way with mango ice too?

The mango ice makes the entire dessert taste even more fruity, while the fresh mango pieces on top add another layer of sweetness and texture. The ice itself is incredibly soft and almost melts immediately in your mouth. Reviews of Roys also consistently highlight the fresh mango and the choice between milk and mango ice, and I completely understand why.

My cousin chose the blueberry bingsu, so I got to try that one too. It was refreshing and fruity, but honestly, I still preferred my mango bingsu. I'm just loyal to my go-to menu. Guys, summer = bingsu. That's basically my conclusion.

This was my first time visiting Cachi Hwabang, and of course, I went straight for their signature mango bingsu.

The first thing I noticed was the amount of mango. There was basically a mountain of it sitting on top of the bingsu. It was 30,000 won, so definitely not cheap for a bowl of shaved ice, but compared with some of the other premium mango bingsus around Seoul, I thought the price was relatively reasonable.

And honestly, the mango itself was really good. It was sweet, juicy, and had that fresh tropical flavor that made the entire bingsu feel refreshing rather than overwhelmingly sweet. The soft milk ice underneath also worked well with the mango because it didn't compete with the fruit.

There were also cubes of cheese mixed into the dessert. I know some people might enjoy the sweet-and-savory combination, but personally, it wasn't really my thing. I think I would've preferred to let the mango be the main character.

The cafe itself was also surprisingly spacious and had a really nice atmosphere. Cachi Hwabang also has a flower shop, which makes the whole space feel especially pretty and bright.

This was probably the most unexpected bingsu of the month.

Although I believe that I've visited quite a lot of dessert cafes, I had never heard of Mimyo before. I was meeting my friend who lives around Hongdae, and when I told her I was craving bingsu, she said that there was a place she had wanted to visit and took me there. And wow. This place was really different.

For one thing, Mimyo basically focuses on one bingsu at a time, changing the menu according to the season. In spring, they have featured things like cherry blossom and matcha bingsu, while summer brings their famous Korean melon, or chamoe, bingsu.

Another thing I found really cute was that the bingsu comes with a tea pairing. Even though I don't typically enjoy drinking tea, the tea paired with the bingsu was really nice. You also get a little coin with your order that you can use to get a random cat ID photo from the gatcha machine. I honestly wasn't expecting a cat photo to be part of my dessert experience, but I am definitely not complaining. So cute!

Now, onto the bingsu itself. I had previously tried a chamoe latte at Ichi Seoul, so I thought I had a pretty good idea of what chamoe in a dessert would taste like. Yet, I was completely wrong. The bingsu is built with layers of mascarpone cheese chamoe cream, chamoe custard, chamoe compote cooked with shiso, yuzu-jasmine tea jelly, meringue, condensed milk, and honey.

The first thing you get is the light, crisp sweetness of the meringue, followed by the creamy mascarpone and chamoe flavors. Then the yuzu jasmine jelly comes in with a bright citrusy note, while the shiso in the chamoe compote adds this subtle herbal freshness that I honestly wasn't expecting at all.

The more I ate, the more interesting it became because every spoonful tasted slightly different depending on which layer I got. The chamoe itself is naturally delicate and lightly sweet, so I really liked that the other ingredients didn't completely overpower it. So, my dear friend, thank you for introducing me to this place. Love you so much!