Why Tourists Flock to Korea's Baskin-Robbins

Baskin-Robbins went viral in November 2023 when kvrennlee's TikTok video showcased Korea's exclusive dessert: 27 striped and speckled ice cream cubes arranged like a Rubix cube, separated with chocolate layers and served on a shimmering platter.

A month later, Baskin-Robbins Korea promoted the treat on Instagram alongside other snacks: chocolate ice cream rolls, iced macarons, ice cream-filled mochi and pastel cakes decorated with stars, marbled spheres and dollops of frosting.

Unfamiliar tourists don't understand why locals and celebrities flock to Korea's version of an American chain. However, Baskin-Robbins Korea isn't just another franchise: it's a reinterpretation of the brand.

Baskin-Robbins Korea trades the United States' friendly pink-and-blue parlors for sophisticated storefronts. Their recipes emphasize green tea, vegetables, cheese and chewy snacks. Corn and sweet potatoes in ice cream? Newbies don't get it until the delicate balance of sweet, savory and bitter hits their tastebuds.

Modernist Ice Cream

Baskin-Robbins Korea is one of the most exclusive franchises in the world. When you make the trip, the specialty stores reward you with 100 varieties--69 more than the classic 31--that you won't find in other countries.

Designer brand, Osmose, partnered with Baskin-Robbins Korea to develop art-deco interiors. Sleek paneling, spacious aisles, plush lounges and coolers loaded with treats make you feel like the world's richest ice cream connoisseur.

Choosing can take a while, but when you're ready, you'll enjoy menu options like these:

• Sweet Corn Cheese: Corn-and-cheese ice cream with crunchy corn bits
• Sweet Potato Cheese: A combination of cheese and Korean sweet potato
• Chaltteok Congtteok: A roasted soybean base blended with mochi and black sesame chips
• Green Tea Cookie: Green tea ice cream with chocolate cookie chunks
• Ssal Tteok: Rice and sweet-roasted bean mixed with roasted soybean clumps and rice cake pieces

If you prefer something sweeter, past offerings include:

• Strawberry In Love: Cheesecake-flavored ice cream swirled with strawberry and chocolate bits
• Shooting Star: A blend of cherry and soda flavors, plus popping candy

YouTuber Doobydobap visited Baskin-Robbins Brown for their legendary ice cream fondue. An affordable $15 gets you a tray with 12 bite-sized scoops, a pot of melted chocolate and sweet and crunchy toppings, such as fruit, pretzels and marshmallows.

Each 100-flavor store has a different selection, so you might not find every dessert on this list, but they all carry exclusive treats. Ice tacos, sundae bowls, shaved ice and cookie sandwiches make surprise appearances.

Rare Flavors

Strawberry, chocolate, vanilla: you find these classic flavors wherever you go. Only South Korea has these varieties:

• Honey Cheese Trap: Blended honey, almond brittle and mascarpone
• Good Luck: Nougat-flavored ice cream with syrup and caramelized almonds
• Chocolate Forest: A half-and-half swirl of chocolate and matcha green tea
• Twinberry Cheesecake: Creamy cheesecake bites in a blueberry and strawberry base
• My Mom is an Alien: Milk, dark and white chocolate with crunchy chocolate balls

Each month has a featured flavor with a colorful name, such as Ice Home Run Ball, Mauna Loa Macadamia and Pink Spoon Begins. If the monthly flavor looks good, buy a cone during your visit because it might be a one-time experience.

Take-home Treats

Baskin-Robbins Korea is famous for ice cream cakes--and these aren't basic sheet cakes with an ice cream layer and a phrase scrawled on top. Instead, bakers load their creations with bonbons, truffles, chocolate bars, candies, scoops of ice cream and mini cones like a sweet bouquet.

Puppies, bears, lions, Christmas trees and other shapes come to life in frosting and chilled ice cream. Other cakes have elaborate designs like pastel sculptures. You can also try the viral 27-cube dessert that boasts nine flavors.

Packaged snacks include baumkuchen (German chocolate cake slices), monaka (ice cream pressed between mochi wafers), hotteok (filled pancakes), frozen yogurt on a stick and a Western favorite: ice cream sandwiches.

Flow 24

Another Korean exclusive is Baskin-Robbins Flow: a tiny store open 24 hours a day. Staff members stock the freezers with cold treats, including pre-packaged ice cream, mochi, macarons and ice cream rolls, cakes and pizzas. Flow also sells party supplies and snacks that you can enjoy with ice cream, such as candy and cereal.

No cashiers here: visitors load their baskets and pay at the self-service kiosks. Essentially, it's a convenience store for sweets.

Let's Eat!

Now that you're craving Asian ice cream, find a store with their online map. These snacks haven't branched outside of Korea just yet, but that makes your visit even more special.