Gwangju Shinsegae Continues to Host Pop-Ups Featuring Local Dessert Hotspots

Ondabang, Ttadam, Myriad Bakery, and More

Gwangju Shinsegae Co., Ltd. (CEO Lee Donghun) has been attracting customers embarking on a "bbangjisunrae" journey by continuously hosting pop-up events featuring popular local dessert shops.

According to Gwangju Shinsegae on June 16, "bbangjisunrae" is a newly coined term combining "bbang" (bread) and "seongjisunrae" (pilgrimage), referring to the act of visiting bakeries with a passion for bread, as if going on a pilgrimage.

An employee is presenting fruit sando at the Ttadam pop-up store on the basement first floor of the main building at Gwangju Shinsegae. Photo by Gwangju Shinsegae

Gwangju Shinsegae is providing customers with a wide range of choices by discovering and showcasing hidden cafes, from trending desserts on social media to well-known neighborhood bakeries, so that customers can enjoy "bbangjisunrae" at the department store.

Thanks to the ongoing local dessert pop-ups, customers can sample famous desserts in one place, while local bakeries benefit from promotional effects, resulting in a positive response.

Gwangju Shinsegae is hosting an "Ondabang" pop-up store on the basement first floor of the main building until June 19. Ondabang, a bakery famous for its baked goods, is a hidden gem located in Yongbong-dong and Chungjang-ro, Gwangju, and offers items such as canel?s, scones, cookies, and madeleines.

Signature items include canel? for 3,500 won, available in four flavors: vanilla, chocolate, matcha, and Earl Grey. A mixed dessert set (two canel?s, four scones, one cookie, three madeleines, and one strawberry jam) is also available for 31,000 won.

During the same period, the "Ttadam" pop-up store offers "fruit sando," a handmade dessert made with fresh fruit. Located in Chungjang-ro, Gwangju, Ttadam is known for its fruit sando?a sandwich made with seasonal fruit and fresh cream?and its baked goods, particularly tigre. Ttadam’s fruit sando is made daily with freshly sourced fruit, making it not only delicious but also visually appealing. The main offerings are melon, mango, and summer fruit sando, each priced at 9,500 won; banana pudding sando at 8,500 won; and a four-piece tigre set at 18,000 won.

The pop-up for "Myriad Bakery," a popular spot in Dongmyeong-dong, Gwangju, known for its long lines, will run from June 20 to 26, continuing the excitement. Myriad Bakery specializes in pastries made with French AOP-certified butter and is famous for its "Mangeop Croissant" and "Pain Suisse." Pain Suisse is a traditional French pastry characterized by its layered dough filled with custard cream and chocolate chips. Signature items include Mangeop Croissant (6,500 won), Real Pistachio Cream Croissant (8,900 won), and Pain Suisse (5,500 won).

Gwangju Shinsegae is supporting the national expansion of local brands by opening pop-up stores for local dessert brands and providing them with retail space, thereby promoting mutual growth with local small businesses.

Notable examples include "Somaek Bakery," a bakery with a long tradition, and "Kitchen205" from Hampyeong, Jeollanam-do. Both started as local brands and, after entering the department store, have grown into nationwide brands. Gwangju Shinsegae plans to continue discovering hidden local dessert shops and operating F&B pop-ups on an ongoing basis.

Kim Youngmin, head of the Food and Living Department, said, "We are organizing pop-ups so that customers can experience 'bbangjisunrae,' which has become a trend, all at once at Gwangju Shinsegae. We have prepared a variety of desserts and bakeries, from hidden alleyway cafes to trending spots on social media, so we hope you visit and enjoy them."