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| / Yonhap |
By Lee Ji-hye
The month of November typically sees a huge spike in the sales of the chocolate-covered cookie snack Pepero. The reason for the jump is a tradition observed by Koreans known as Pepero Day.
Those unfamiliar with the phenomenon may have been surprised to find convenience stores, supermarkets and even bakeries festooned with ornate packages of Pepero or its facsimiles.
While many grumble that the event is less of a real occasion than a chance for snack companies to rake in some cash, Pepero Day continues to be popular in Korea and has become a quirky part of the local culture.
The day takes place on November 11. Students at school, co-workers at companies, and even proselytizers pass out boxes of the crunchy, chocolate-covered snacks. Giving them out is similar to handing out a Valentine as it can be a platonic gesture or have romantic overtones.
So what's the fuss over these snacks anyway? Here's what you should know about Pepero Day.
Eating Pepero makes you skinny (Or so the story goes)
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| / Yonhap |
Pepero day falls on November 11 because the skinny snacks resemble the numerals in the abbreviated form of the date -- 11/11.
Before Pepero Day became a full-fledged phenomenon, the snacks were exchanged among high school girls wishing for -- you guessed it -- a skinny body.
The myth is that eating a Pepero snack on November 11 at 11:11 a.m. will make a person skinny, just like a Pepero stick. Some would even wait for the eleventh second into the minute for better "results."
Yes, it's a cash cow
While the exact origins of Pepero Day are vague, what's clear is that it has become a cash cow for snack companies, in particular Lotte Confectionary, the makers of Perero.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Pepero sales start skyrocketing from a week before Peppero Day, increasing 83-fold compared to two weeks before.
In comparison, chocolate sales increase around nine-fold before Valentine's Day; and by seven times before White Day, a romantic holiday in March. Observers suggest this may have something to do with Pepero's comparatively low cost.
There's something called a ‘nude Pepero'
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| / Courtesy of Lotte |
Traditional Pepero which were inspired by the Japanese snack Pocky are relatively simple, comprising of cookie and chocolate compound. However the snack has diversified over the years.
The "almond" Pepero is a stick covered in almond bits with chocolate, while the "peanut" Pepero is covered in bits of peanut crumbs.
The "nude" Pepero is a hollow stick with chocolate inside, instead of outside, giving it a "naked" look.
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| / Courtesy of Lotte |
The "tiramisu cheese" Pepero is also another version of a "nude" Pepero, but with chocolate and cream-cheese filling inside.
Another version of the "nude" Pepero is the "lemon cheese" Pepero, which features a picture of a key-lime pie on the box.
Fruit-flavored Pepero are also available, including in strawberry and melon
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Five weird Pepero facts
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| / Yonhap |
1. Pepero Day is the reportedly the most profitable day for convenient stores all year.
2. Up to 30 percent of all annual Pepero sales occur within a week of Pepero Day, according to Consumer Report Korea.
3. The plain Pepero has less calories than the almond-flavored one.
4. The entire length of all Pepero sticks ever sold can circle the circumference of the Earth, 250 times.
5. According to a dating agency, seven out of 10 people "do not think exchanging Peperos are necessary."
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