Brightly colored boxes and elaborate displays of stars and hearts decorate the storefronts of Korean convenience stores everywhere in observance of Pepero Day, a Korean holiday celebrated on Nov. 11 in which friends, couples and families exchange boxes of pepero, chocolate-covered sticks similar to the popular Japanese snack “Pocky.”

First distributed by Lotte Confectionery in 1983, Pepero has become a famous icon in both Korean and international cultures.

The confection is featured in five different flavors: Choco Pepero, the company’s original flavor and “Korea’s favorite,”Almond Pepero, with crushed almonds dusting the chocolate coating, Nude Pepero, in which the biscuit stick is filled with chocolate, Peanut Pepero, with roasted peanuts embedded in chocolate toppings and Strawberry Pepero, whose sticks are covered in a strawberry coating.

Pepero sticks are exchanged between female students in middle and high school in hopes of becoming become taller and thinner like the pepero sticks.

However, this practice has expanded into an expression of love and gratitude for the people in one’s life.

Since pepero is inexpensive, it is easy to buy boxes to give friends and family. Co-workers also participate in Pepero Day festivities and it is common to see employees leaving their workplace with bags full of pepero boxes.

Other items similar to the shape of pepero, including cushions and pillows, are also exchanged on this day.

Since Pepero Day was originally created to promote the chocolate-covered snack, some choose to celebrate the holiday in a different way by exchanging garaeddeok, long, cylindrical rice cakes often found in ddukbokki, a popular Korean street food.  

Bakers and decorators show off their artistic skills using pepero molds which usually contain cute designs such as hearts and Korean letters, known as hangul, that convey messages such as I love you, and a long, thin space in the center to place the biscuit stick.

The molds are meant to be filled with chocolate or icings, and when the sugary substances are in their liquid state, the biscuits are placed in the middle. The result is a customized pepero stick that is sure to capture the hearts of friends and family.

Pepero cakes can also be created by baking any type of cake and lining the perimeter of the fluffy confectionary with pepero sticks.

Pepero Day is a fun, interesting way to show love and appreciation. Since it is an honor to receive a box of pepero on Pepero Day, purchasing or making a batch of pepero and sharing it with family and friends shows love and friendship.