Choco Pie is a popular chocolate covered cake snack that is widely available across Asia. With its origins in the 1970s, Choco Pie became an icon of industrialization and development in South Korea and beyond. However, there has been some debate over whether Choco Pie should be considered Korean or Japanese in origin.
The Origins of Choco Pie
The original Choco Pie snack was first created in 1974 by the Lotte Confectionery company in South Korea. Lotte developed the treat as an affordable, shelf-stable snack that could be widely distributed. The name “Choco Pie” was chosen as an easy to understand name that would appeal to international markets.
The Choco Pie consists of a chocolate coated shell covering a cake or pie filling. Popular flavors include chocolate, strawberry, green tea, and peanut. Lotte pioneered many of the mass production techniques used for Choco Pie. This allowed the snack to be manufactured and sold very cheaply, contributing to its widespread popularity in many Asian markets over the years.
Choco Pie in Japan
Within just a few years of being launched by Lotte in Korea, Choco Pie spread to other parts of Asia, including Japan. The first Japanese Choco Pies were produced under license by the Glico company in Japan. Glico branded the snack as “Choco Takenoko No Sato” and began manufacturing it in 1978.
The early Japanese Choco Pie packages were designed to mimic bamboo shoots, emphasizing the “Takenoko No Sato” branding. Over the years, the Japanese Choco Pie packaging evolved with colorful anime character designs used to appeal to younger consumers. While retaining essentially the same product formulation, Japanese consumers came to view Choco Pie as a fun snack with strong brand recognition in their market.
Differences Between Korean and Japanese Choco Pie Products
There are a few subtle differences between the Choco Pies sold in Korea and Japan:
- Korean Choco Pie uses real chocolate in the coating while some Japanese versions use compound chocolate or chocolate flavored coating.
- The cake layer in Korean Choco Pie is lighter and fluffier compared to a denser, fudgier cake layer in Japanese Choco Pie.
- Korean Choco Pie comes wrapped individually while Japanese Choco Pie is sometimes unwrapped or wrapped in sets.
- The packaging and branding of Korean and Japanese Choco Pie emphasizes different visual themes.
However, despite these small variations, the core product remains fundamentally similar. Both Korean and Japanese Choco Pie provide the distinctive chocolate covered cake that defines this popular snack.
Choco Pie as a Cultural Symbol
Although Japan was among the first international markets for Choco Pie, it became tremendously popular throughout Southeast Asia as production scaled up in the 1980s and 1990s. Countries like Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia embraced the Korean snack as both an affordable indulgence and a symbol of modern times.
In particular, Choco Pie gained cultural significance in Vietnam. As Korean pop culture spread in Vietnam, consumers saw products like Choco Pie as part of the trend. The snack became embedded in Vietnamese culture to the point where coffee shops, cafes, and bakeries in Vietnam frequently offer Choco Pie on their menus. It transcended its status as a mass market snack to become a cultural icon in the country.
Choco Pie in Korean-Japanese Relations
For most consumers, Choco Pie is seen as more Korean than Japanese. However, there is an interesting backstory involving Choco Pie in Korean-Japanese relations. In the early 2000s, as part of Korea’s Sunshine Policy to improve relations with North Korea, South Korean companies were permitted to begin manufacturing operations using North Korean labor. To support these efforts, the South Korean conglomerate Orion Group opened the Kaesong Industrial Complex in North Korea in 2004. This manufacturing site produced various goods, including Choco Pie snacks, intended for sale in South Korea.
The North Korean workers at Kaesong Industrial Complex facilities often received Choco Pie snacks as bonuses or compensation from their South Korean employers. Not widely available in North Korea, the sweet, chocolatey snack was a thrilling treat for many workers who would save or re-sell the Choco Pies at a premium. Even as geopolitics shifted over the years, South Korean companies continued providing Choco Pies to North Korean workers at the industrial complex. The snack became an important cultural bridge between the two countries.
Unfortunately, in 2016 the Kaesong Industrial Complex was shut down for political reasons. With this facility closed, the special role of Choco Pie in inter-Korean relations faded but remained part of the historical record.
Choco Pie in Pop Culture
Over the decades, Choco Pie has made numerous appearances in Korean and Japanese pop culture as both a mass market product and cultural icon:
- Choco Pie has been frequently mentioned in Korean dramas and variety shows as a common snack.
- The 2018 South Korean film Black Money featured a plot line involving the smuggling of Choco Pie snacks into North Korea.
- Japanese manga and anime sometimes portray Choco Pie as a snack consumed by characters.
- The music video for the 2019 BTS song “Boy with Luv” featured a pink, CGI animated Choco Pie floating through space.
This pop culture presence both reflects and amplifies the cultural footprint of Choco Pie in both countries. The snack has become a cultural touchpoint that resonates across generations.
Is Choco Pie Korean, Japanese, or Both?
With its Korean origins but early adoption in Japan, Choco Pie transcends narrow cultural definitions. This beloved snack has become embedded in both cultures over decades. While the origins are Korean, Japan contributed to building up global popularity. Rather than claiming Choco Pie belongs to a single culture, it’s better to appreciate it as a shared cultural product across countries.
Summary
In summary:
- Choco Pie originated in South Korea in 1974 under Lotte Confectionery.
- Japan was one of the first international markets for Choco Pie starting in 1978.
- Subtle product differences evolved between Korean and Japanese Choco Pie over time.
- Choco Pie gained cultural significance in Vietnam amid the Korean Wave.
- The snack bridged cultural gaps through the Kaesong Industrial Complex employment of North Koreans.
- Pop culture in Korea and Japan has embraced Choco Pie as a cultural icon.
Debating whether Choco Pie “belongs” to one culture diminishes how products can transcend borders as shared experiences. Choco Pie has become embedded in Korean, Japanese, and many other Asian cultures over decades and continues to maintain relevance. Its story provides a sweet reminder of how even simple snacks can bring people together across the world.
Conclusion
Choco Pie originated in South Korea but quickly spread to become popular in Japan and across Asia, gaining cultural significance along the way. Rather than being distinctly Korean or Japanese, Choco Pie transcends defined cultural boundaries. The snack’s appeal and accessibility allowed it to put down roots in diverse markets. While specific cultural versions took shape in different countries, Choco Pie itself remains a shared part of Asian food culture and collective consciousness.