A Precious Piece of Ice from Long Ago

Did you know that the cool bowl of bingsu that saves us on hot summer days actually began a very long time ago? The first recorded passport stamp of bingsu surprisingly dates back to around 3000 BCE in China. According to records, people crushed snow or ice finely and topped it with honey and fruit juice.

Around the same time, in the distant Roman Empire, emperors had slaves bring precious snow from high mountains and enjoyed it mixed with fruit juice. It seems the desire to escape the heat has always been the same. But in an era without refrigerators, ice was truly a symbol of power and wealth. It was a very special and rare dessert that not just anyone could enjoy.

Sweet Ice Spreads Across the World

As time passed, ice desserts met the cultures of various countries and began to take on their own colors.

• Japan’s “Kakigori (かき氷)”: Between the 7th and 9th centuries, Japanese nobles enjoyed an ice dessert called ‘kakigori.’ Later, Japanese immigrants brought this culture to Hawaii, where it met local fruit juices and gave birth to today’s famous Hawaiian ‘Shave Ice.’

  

• Various Asian Bingsu: In China and Taiwan, ‘Baobing (刨冰)’ topped generously with fruits and jelly cooled people down, while in the Philippines, ‘Halo-Halo,’ a mix of various ingredients, served the same purpose.

  

In the 19th century, the invention of ice shaving machines and the ability to produce artificial ice in the 20th century finally transformed bingsu from a noble dessert into a popular snack enjoyed by everyone.

Korea’s Bingsu: Its Unique Footsteps

So, what path has Korean bingsu taken? Our bingsu story also traces back to the Joseon Dynasty.

# Joseon Dynasty: The Ice Delicacy of Seokbinggo

Kings and officials of the Joseon Dynasty enjoyed finely crushed precious ice stored in natural refrigerators called ‘Seokbinggo (Stone Ice Storage).’ It was a summer delicacy enjoyed like a fruit punch, reserved for a select few.

# The Emergence and Popularization of Patbingsu

The image of patbingsu we think of today began during the Japanese colonial period with the introduction of Japan’s ‘Koori Azuki (氷あずき).’ This new dessert of finely shaved ice topped with sweet red beans quickly won many hearts. After the Korean War, Western ingredients like condensed milk, chocolate syrup, and jelly came through the U.S. military, and patbingsu began to transform into a more diverse dessert.

Modern Korean Bingsu Timeline: From Patbingsu to Snowflake Bingsu

Let’s follow the dazzling evolution of modern Korean bingsu, which has reflected the culture and trends of each era beyond a simple ice treat.

# 1980s: The Birth of a Premium Dessert, ‘Mealtop’

In the 1980s, patbingsu made a glamorous debut as a ‘premium dessert.’ At the center was Mealtop, which opened in 1985 at Apgujeong Hyundai Department Store. While bingsu at the time was topped with various ingredients like jelly and fruit cocktails, Mealtop introduced ‘milk bingsu’ with finely shaved milk ice topped only with carefully made red beans and chewy glutinous rice cakes. This simple yet perfect combination elevated patbingsu to the ranks of premium desserts, and Mealtop is still called the ‘standard of patbingsu’ today.

# 1990s: The Era of Freshness, Rise of Fruit Bingsu

In the 1990s, bingsu welcomed a new star: fruit. Stores like ‘Waffle House’ near Sookmyung Women’s University popularized strawberry bingsu. The fresh fruit-topped, refreshing bingsu captured the tastes of the younger generation, and with the spread of home bingsu machines, a culture of making bingsu at home in one’s own style also spread.

# 2000s: Explosion of Individuality, Emergence of Fusion Bingsu

In the 2000s, with the spread of cafe culture, bingsu transformed into bolder and more unique forms. Bitter green tea bingsu, rich coffee bingsu, and fusion bingsu topped with cheesecake or brownies appeared. Franchise and independent cafes each introduced their signature bingsu, attracting many customers.

# Since the 2010s: The Bingsu Revolution, Era of ‘Sulbing’ and Specialty Shops

The 2010s were truly the era of the ‘bingsu revolution.’ Leading this revolution was the Korean dessert cafe Sulbing, which started in Busan in 2013. Sulbing caused a sensation in Korea with its ‘Injeolmi Sulbing’—milk snow ice topped with nutty injeolmi soybean powder and chewy injeolmi rice cakes instead of red beans. It was an innovation that broke the stereotype that bingsu must have red beans.

After Sulbing’s success, the era of bingsu specialty shops fully opened, from places like Dongbinggo that preserve the traditional red bean taste to hotel bingsu topped with premium whole fresh fruits like mango and melon. Bingsu has now established itself as a ‘dish’ beyond a simple snack and has developed into a unique dessert culture rarely found anywhere else in the world.

A precious piece of cold ice, once a luxury in midsummer long ago, has crossed time and seas to be reborn as a sweet and refreshing happiness carrying the stories of the times by our side. This summer, how about recalling this long and sweet story with a bowl of bingsu filled with your memories?