In early November, a sweet smell fills the alley on the way home from work. Two people stopped walking in the same alley. Minsu's feet stopped before he even thought about it. When Minsu sees a bungeoppang shop, he feels, "Ah, winter has come again this year." Bungeoppang tells us winter has arrived before the calendar does. ## A Foreign Friend Wonders My foreign friend next to me looked at the fish-shaped bread and asked. "Is there fish inside?" No. There's no carp in bungeoppang. It usually has sweet red bean filling, and these days many have custard cream too. My friend laughed, but still tilted their head in confusion. Neither of you is in the wrong. It's just something Minsu is completely used to, and your friend is simply seeing it for the first time. ## Why Is It Shaped Like a Fish, and Why Winter? It's said that Japan's 'taiyaki' came to Korea and spread. In Japan, it's shaped like sea bream, a prized fish, but in Korea it's said to have settled into the shape of the crucian carp, which is common around us. It's only sold in winter not because of a law, but because of circumstances. Warm snacks sell well when it's cold. In summer, it's hard to even stand in front of the fire, and ingredients like red beans spoil easily. ## Try It Out Right Now - Bring a little cash. Whether cards or bank transfers are accepted differs from shop to shop. - "Is it red bean or custard cream?" and ask. - Prices and quantities also differ from shop to shop, so just check the sign in front. Buying a bungeoppang is like taking a bite of a Korean winter.