InterviewWalnut cake expert set to sweeten APEC summit with decadent 'K-desserts'

Buchang Bakery's walnut cakes and other Korean traditional desserts / Courtesy of Food Gourmet

Among the official domestic sponsors of this week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Buchang Bakery is tasked with introducing global economic leaders and top decision-makers to the richness of Korean desserts. The brand’s specialty is its variety of walnut cakes — a beloved street treat that has remained popular in Korea for over half a century.

Although reserved for the upcoming APEC Economic Leaders’ Summit on Friday and Saturday, Buchang Bakery’s pastries have already made an appearance at the region’s largest economic forum earlier this year — the third Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM3) held in Incheon in July. Attendees of last week’s Finance Ministers’ Meeting (FMM) and Structural Reform Ministers’ Meeting (SRMM) in Incheon also had the opportunity to enjoy the spongy walnut cakes, available with a variety of fillings.

Lee Kyung-won, president of Fresh Gourmet, which operates Buchang Bakery, was on hand at a booth in Songdo Convensia in Incheon during SOM3. The booth’s milk-and-salt and green pea walnut cakes filled the air with a sweet, inviting aroma that drew the attention of passersby.

“Some foreigners kept coming back for more. Walnut cakes fresh from the oven are simply irresistible — just like the ones we serve at our nine stores nationwide,” Lee said during an interview with The Korea Times.

Food Gourmet President Lee Kyung-won, right, poses with Kim Ji-joon, senior managing director of the Preparatory Office for APEC 2025, after signing a deal designating Buchang Bakery as an official APEC sponsor at the office in Seoul, July 24. Courtesy of Food Gourmet

Lee pitched the idea of serving his walnut cakes to APEC organizers and secured a deal, making Buchang Bakery an official sponsor. He first signed an agreement to provide pastries for SOM3 and the FMM & SRMM in July, and earlier this month he signed another for APEC’s most anticipated event — a banquet for the leaders from all 21 member economies.

“It would be wonderful if our brand could contribute, even in a small way, to introducing Korean desserts and cuisine to the world. Our walnut cakes use only domestically grown ingredients, including red beans, sweet potatoes and green peas. It is a great opportunity to showcase the diversity of our natural ingredients globally,” Lee said.

Buchang Bakery’s shops are all located at premium department stores, where customer traffic is consistently high. These include Shinsegae Department Stores in Daejeon, Daegu, Busan, Gwangju and Seoul, as well as Lotte World Mall and IPark Mall in Seoul. Each store sells between 8,000 and 10,000 walnut cakes per day.

Later this year, Lee plans to open another store in Gyeongju’s trendy Hwangnidan area, where the brand was founded in 1963. He also intends to establish a bakery school in the city to train local workers, not only for Buchang Bakery but for other food companies as well.

“Hiring 300 employees for Buchang Bakery has not been easy because finding skilled recruits was challenging. Once we open the Gyeongju branch, we will launch the bakery school to train young locals and either hire them ourselves or recommend them to other companies. This will ensure stable recruitment for us while also creating jobs in Gyeongju,” Lee said.

Kwon Won-gap, back row third from left, poses at Buchang Bakery which he founded in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, in 1963. Courtesy of Food Gourmet

Lee is following in the footsteps of his late maternal grandfather, Kwon Won-gap, who founded Buchang Bakery.

The bakery closed in the 1990s with the rise of large-scale snack and dessert manufacturers. The brand resurfaced last year with updated recipes and a refreshed image, opening its first store under Lee in October at Shinsegae Department Store in Seoul’s Gangnam District. In just one year, the brand expanded to nine stores nationwide and earned a key opportunity to impress Asia-Pacific economic leaders.

After APEC, the brand plans to expand to Japan in the first half of next year, opening a location inside a department store in either Tokyo or Osaka. Lee also has plans to enter the United States and Southeast Asian markets as part of his broader business expansion.

Lee stressed that walnut cakes are highly adaptable, changing fillings and ingredients to create a variety of flavors. He said he has never seen any dessert in the world that uses walnuts not only as a key ingredient but also in its shape, highlighting the treat’s Korean origins.

“Walnut cakes are a traditional treat with modern variations. I have never given up on preserving the traditional flavor and design of the cake, while also experimenting with new ingredients to appeal to younger consumers,” Lee said.