🍫Pepero Day in Korea: How a Snack Became a National Love Language💞
Every November 11, Korea celebrates Pepero Day — a holiday born from a simple cookie stick that turned into a cultural symbol of affection, friendship, and sweet marketing genius.
November 11 — a day of love, chocolate, and clever symmetry1. What Is Pepero Day?
Pepero Day is celebrated annually on November 11 — 11/11 — because the date resembles four Pepero sticks lined up in a row. It’s a day to exchange thin chocolate-covered biscuit sticks with friends, couples, or co-workers as a token of love and appreciation.
The 11/11 symmetry became a marketing masterpiece2. How It Started: The Lotte Story
The holiday began in the mid-1990s when two middle school students in Busan reportedly exchanged Pepero sticks to wish each other to “grow tall and slim.” The snack’s maker, Lotte Confectionery, embraced the coincidence and turned the playful gesture into a full national marketing campaign.
Since then, November 11 has been promoted with commercials, pop-up stores, and limited-edition boxes. By the 2000s, Pepero Day became as commercially vibrant as Valentine’s Day in Korea.
Lotte transformed a simple snack into an emotional icon3. Modern Meaning: Love, Friendship, and Marketing
Pepero Day has transcended its corporate origins to become a lighthearted cultural ritual. Couples exchange boxes as a sweet reminder of affection, while students share them with classmates and even teachers. In offices, Pepero packs serve as friendly gestures between co-workers.
Social media has amplified the day further — people post creative Pepero towers, customized wrappers, or even homemade versions. The celebration perfectly fits Korea’s blend of sincerity and playfulness in expressing emotion.
4. How Koreans Celebrate It Today
Convenience stores and bakeries start stacking Pepero pyramids as early as the first week of November. On the streets of Myeongdong and Gangnam, giant Pepero mascots hand out samples. Couples often include a handwritten note or small gift along with the snack. It’s sweet, simple, and everywhere — even schools unofficially allow Pepero exchanges that day.
By early November, Pepero displays take over Korean convenience stores5. Beyond Chocolate: Limited Editions & Art Collabs
Each year, Lotte releases new limited-edition flavors — from almond-crunch to mint chocolate and even matcha latte. Collaborations with K-pop groups and webtoon artists make Pepero boxes collectible items. In 2025, the “Pepero x Line Friends” series sold out nationwide within days.
Art cafes in Seoul also join the trend by offering Pepero-themed desserts and photo zones, proving that this once-simple snack has become a canvas for Korea’s pop culture creativity.
From classic chocolate to modern collaborations — Pepero keeps reinventing itself6. Dr. Beau’s Note
Pepero Day reminds us that beauty is also in small gestures — a shared treat, a note, a smile. Korea’s culture of gift-giving celebrates connection over luxury, and that spirit, like chocolate, never melts away.
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