Hangwa literally translates to Korean confections. Most sweet Korean foods fall under this category. Common ingredients found in them include grain flour, honey, fruit, cinnamon, and ginger.
Due to their variety of natural ingredients, hangwa are usually very colorful which makes them perfect for gifting to others.
They have a deep connection to Korean history and are a part of a lot of modern festivities.
In this article, we cover the history of hangwa and what Korean confectionery falls under it. You can also find out the best Korean candy at Honest Food Talks.
Table of Contents
Ancient History
Hangwa can be dated back as far as the era of the Three Kingdoms (57 BCE – 668 CE). This era is when Korea was split into 3 separate kingdoms called Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla. Goguryeo would later be known as Goryeo, which is where the name Korea comes from.
During this era, hangwa would be consumed by the royal families of the kingdoms during festivities, national holidays, or in court. They were seen as very extravagant and only for the wealthy.
When Buddhism came to the three kingdoms in the 3rd century, cultivation increased and so did the consumption of confectionery. This was because Buddhism forbade the consumption of meat. The confectionery was mainly offered during the Buddhist festivals Lotus Lantern Festival and the Festival of the Eight Vows.
Hangwa was also very common to be consumed during tea ceremonies.
12th Century
In 1117, King Sukjong put restrictions on hangwa after realizing its popularity was using up a lot of oil, grain, and honey. He specifically put restrictions on deep-fried grain confectionery.
There would be further restrictions in 1192 when it was commanded that people replace deep-fried grain confectionery with fruit. In 1353 deep-fried grain confectionery would be completely banned.
Joseon Kingdom
The Joseon Kingdom lasted from 1392 to 1910, during some of that time if a commoner was caught eating deep-fried confectionery (outside of weddings and ancestral rites) they were subjected to fines or punishment of lashings.
Modern Usage
With the introduction of sugar and Western influence, hangwa fell out of popular consumption. An active effort was made in recent years to reintroduce hangwa into Korean cuisine.
Due to its storied history, hangwa is mainly associated with holiday foods and is commonly gifted especially during the Korean New Year. They are usually small and round with a print of top. This is different from the ancient hangwa which would be intricately decorated and in a variety of shapes.
You are mainly able to buy them in specialty stores and online. Some hangwa have made their way into mass production and are able to be bought in convenience stores.
While hangwa are generally healthier than Western candy due to their natural ingredients, modern healthier versions have been created. These involve ingredients that have a lot of health benefits like ginseng and green tea.
Categories
There are many different types of hangwa, but most of them fall under these 8 different types.
- Dasik – Literally translating to tea food. Dasik are bite-sized and are paired with tea. Traditionally they are made by pressing honied powder in decorative molds.
- Gwapyeon – Gwapyeon is a jelly-like dessert made with fruit.
- Jeonggwa – Jeonggwa are crispy, chewy, and sweet. They are made from candied fruit, roots, or seeds.
- Suksil-gwa – Suksil-gwa literally translates to cooked fruit. As well as cooked fruits it can also be roots or seeds. It is usually sweetened with honey.
- Yeot-gangjeong – Yeot-gangjeong is made by mixing toasted seeds, popped grains, nuts, and beans together with rice syrup into the desired shape.
- Yugwa – Yugwa is deep-fried and made from glutinous rice flour dough.
- Yumil-gwa – Yumil-gwa is similar to yugwa as it is a deep-fried dough but it is made from wheat flour instead of glutinous rice flour.
- Candies – Candies can be eaten as they are, or can be used as ingredients in other hangwa.
Some other types of hangwa include:
- Hodu-gwaja – A walnut-shaped filled cake.
- Patbingsu – Shaved ice topped with condensed milk and fruit.
- Hotteok – Small syrup-filled pancakes.
Final Thoughts
Commonly, hangwa are decorated with a variety of patterns each with a different meaning. For example, butterflies represent a happy marriage, lotuses are for harmony, and bats would bring fortune. Sometimes the Chinese characters for different words like fortune and wealth would be pressed on top.
If you are ever fortunate enough to go to Korea, hangwa are a must-try so you can experience a part of Korean culture and get a tasty dessert.
