In the Korean summer heat, I often find myself thinking “Need… water… need… ice…” 🌡☀️😵
In an unstoppable impulse to find something that would quickly bring relief ❄️, I rummaged through various ice boxes, looking for ice cream. 🍦 While checking the loooong labels with TINY letters on the colorful packaging, its contents were on the verge of melting [unforgivable sin!] and it felt like I would soon get more than just strange looks from shopkeepers… 😅
Even when something looked like it was a simple, water-based ice cream, its ingredient list surprisingly often revealed that there was some kind of animal component hidden inside. And sadly enough, those ingredients were not always marked in the allergen section. 🚫📝
Beside mysterious additives for sweetness 🍭, aroma 👅 and color 🌈, many kinds of Korean ice cream, including water ice, sweetened ice cubes, and ice lollies, contain animal-based ingredients that are invisible from the outside – the most common ones being whey powder 🥛 and honey 🍯. On top of that, some even contain insect-based food color 🐞 (cochineal extract) and gelatin 🐷 [yikes!]!
Furthermore, even if one kind of ice cream contains only plant-based ingredients, that doesn’t mean that another flavor of the same kind is also vegan. 🚫🌱
Seriously each kind of ice cream needs confirmation.
🍦 It can be hard to find good ice cream.
But who thought the hunt for VEGAN ice cream would be this difficult and frustrating? 🌱🍦
[Whether the available vegan options are delightful after all, is a different issue…😣]
Anyhow, here’s a collection of meat-free, dairy-free, egg-free [though not guilt-free] vegan ice cream, which are commonly sold at various convenience stores (편의점), supermarkets (마트), and ice cream discount stores (아이스크림할인점) in Korea.
List of vegan-friendly icecream in Korea
Mango-flavored ice cream bar with 40% fruit.Mango juice plus mango chunks, 100% mango.100% Mango: a piece of mango, frozen. Naturally delicious.Another mango-flavored ice cream bar. 30% fruit.Grape-flavored ice cream bar, 46% fruit.Pineapple-flavored ice cream bar.100% Durian: Blended and frozen. Only for Durian lovers.Tomato ice cream! Like sweet, diluted ketchup!Refreshing pineapple and kiwi flavor!Like frozen lemonade!Squeezable slushie, flavors strawberry & apple.Squeezable slushie, peach flavor.Squeezable slushie, lemon flavor.Ice cubes filled with fruit sauceScrew bar – a Korean classic! Apple flavor inside and and strawberry flavor outsideShark ice bar “Jaws”! A classic!Shark ice bar “Jaws”! Standard flavor.Strawberry edition of JawsPopsicle with green grape flavor.Two types of icecream made from the traditional rice drink Sikhye 식혜Ice lolly made from Korea’s Sikhye drinkPearl-shaped ice cream: apple flavor.Jumbo “mini melts” in grape and soda flavor!Citrus-flavored ice cubes: Calamansi
✍️ This compilation began in summer 2019 and is gradually expanded as new discoveries are made. New additions since 2020 are below! 👇
Flavored ice cubes: Calamansi (yellow), watermelon (red), grape (green)Ice cubes with green grape flavorIce cubes with apple flavorIce cubes with watermelon flavorIce cubes with lime and mint (Mojito) flavorPiece of cantaloupe melonSqueezable slushie with Korean pear flavorSqueezable slushie with kiwi flavorPopsicle with pineapple flavorPearl-shaped ice cream, flavors melon&soda and Korean energy drink.Sweet and sour popsicle with Maesil (unripe ume plum) flavorGrape-flavored “Screw” barCreamy (!) ice cream made with roasted cashews (smells like peanuts)Non-sorbet ice cream with pineapple & coconutGreen grape sorbetCoconut milk ice creamIce cream bar with a soft (!) chocolate coating.Chocolate and green tea ice cream with pistachio pieces and chocolate saucePopsicle with passion fruit, kiwi and mangoPopsicle with peach chunks.Popsicle with strawberries.Tangerine-flavored popsicleIce lolly with orange and tangerine flavorOrange- and tangerine-flavored ice cubes.Popsicle with Korean pear flavorPopsicle with chamomile tea and lychee flavorMango popsicleSqueezable slushie with coke flavorSqueezable slushie with mango flavorSqueezable slushie with apple mango flavorIce cubes with peach flavorIce cubes with lemon flavorIce cubes with green grape flavorIce cubes with sports drink flavorIce cubes with grape flavorIce cubes with mojito flavorSqueezable slushie with grape flavorSqueezable slushie with cola flavorSqueezable slushie with apple and strawberry flavor (Screw bar)Squeezable slushie with carrot flavorSqueezable slushie with tomato flavor
new additions since 2023
Popsicle with pineapple flavor and pineapple chunksPopsicle with berries and grape flavorPopsicle with apple flavor and chunksLarge pearl-shaped ice cream: Green apple and watermelon flavorLarge pearl-shaped ice cream with vitamin CSqueezable slushie with mango flavorPopsicle with mango flavorPopsicle with Vita500 (Korean energy drink) flavorPopsicle with apple flavorPearl-shaped icecream (“Dippin Dots”) with apple and strawberry flavor in a squeeze up tubePearl-shaped icecream (“dippin dots”) with lemon and lime flavor in a squeeze up tubePopsicle with grape flavor, filled with nata de coco jelly Popsicle with plum flavor and soft fillingPopsicle with peach flavor and soft fillingPopsicle with green grape flavor and soft fillingRice-based ice cream with chocolate flavorRice-based ice cream with caramel flavor and chocolate chipsSorbet with mango, pomelo and coconut milkZero-calorie version of the classic Screw barZero-calorie version of the classic Jaws barZero-calorie version of the Watermelon bar – but seedless (no chocolate-coated peanut pieces!)Squeezable slushie with grapefruit flavorMini Melts big: Shine Muscat grape and soda flavorMini Melts big: Grape and soda flavorIce lolly with grape flavorIce lolly with green grape flavorIce lolly with strawberry flavorPopsicle with white peach flavorPopsicle with plum flavor and chunksPopsicle with apple mango flavor and chunksZero-calerie ice cubes with sports drink flavorIce cubes with sports drink flavor and ionsIce cubes with Vita500 (Korean energy drink) flavorPopsicle with lemon flavorPopsicle with apple flavorPopsicle with tangerine flavor. Zero-calorie versionCashew-based ice cream with maple syrup sauce and pieces of roasted almonds and peanuts (mini cup)Cashew-based ice cream with maple syrup sauce and pieces of roasted almonds and peanuts (1 pint)Cashew- and almond-based chocolate ice cream with chocolate sauce and pieces of roasted almonds (1 pint)Sorbet based on Alphonso mango with mango chunks (mini cup)Sorbet based on Alphonso mango with mango chunks (1 pint)Squeezable slushie with soda flavorSqueezable slushie with flavor “blue ice”Squeezable slushie with peach and mango flavorMinimelts with grape flavor (Shine Muscat and Black Sapphire)Popsicle with cherry and green apple flavorPopsicle with cherry and green apple flavorSqueezable slushie with yuzu flavorIce lolly flavored with Valencia orangesIce lolly with Shine Muscat green grape flavorPearl-shaped icecream (“dippin dots”) with diverse fruit flavors in a squeeze up tubeIce lolly with coffee flavor. Zero sugarIce lolly with passionfruit flavorPopsicle with tropical flavor (pineapple)Ice lolly with pineapple and coconut flavor
.
I’m an ice cream junkie, I know. 🍦🍨😍🍧❄️
If you have more time, money and patience to go to a (vegan) cafe that serves vegan ice cream, congratulations. Enjoy that blissful moment for me, while you’re at it!
So where ARE those cafes with vegan ice cream? 🍨 They are rare and more expensive than regular ice cream places… 💲😓 Currently, there exist merely a handful of such locations in Seoul. You can find an overview of sit-in locations serving various kinds of home-made frozen desserts on this page. 🛋💁♂️🍨🙋♀️
And what do YOU do in the heat of summer, when you don’t have access to your freezer (which is ideally filled with frozen fruit) but you are in desperate need of that sweet and refreshing cool-down THIS VERY INSTANT??? 🌊🤯❄️
[This is a serious question. Very curious about other survival strategies.]
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Please note that the products here are considered plant-based according to the ingredients listed on the packaging. Some may not be vegan by definition of not containing sugar filtered with bone char, or be produced without similar processes involving animal-based products or animal exploitation. Korean producers often do not provide such detailed information on the packaging. While some products are certified vegan by various organisations [some vegan labels, however, are disputed!], others do not possess a vegan confirmation from an outside agent. Refer to this list at your own discretion.
Do not copy the content of this page without permission or referencing this page.
Thank you for your comment and the question! 🤗 Most of the items above I found at GS25, CU and SevenEleven. But each convenience store offers a different selection of goods, so you may not find all ice cream at each location (sometimes, there were only 1 or 2 vegan option available).
I live in Busan and am trying out all the vegan flavors before my brother visits me, because he can’t have dairy. Unfortunately, I noticed the back of the packaging on the 죠스 아이스크림, has dairy, as it shows “우유,” which means milk. I’m still trying out all the flavors, but I’m glad I can speak and read Korean, so my brother won’t get sick because I’ll help him. So, ALWAYS check the labels for yourselves to be sure everyone!~~ ^^
Hi Tisha, thanks for your message! I checked the label on 죠스 아이스크림 again, but I do not see dairy in the ingredient list. It mentions milk (우유) in the disclaimer mentioning that it may contain traces of it because it has been produced in a factory handling other foods containing allergens, including milk, pork, eggs, peaches, wheat, tomato, walnuts, peanuts.
Certainly, if your brother is highly sensitive against any possible traces of dairy, it is best to watch out for foods that may be cross-contaminated.
Sesame Sprinkles 
Thank you for this amazing list. What convenience stores are likely to have them?
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Thank you for your comment and the question! 🤗 Most of the items above I found at GS25, CU and SevenEleven. But each convenience store offers a different selection of goods, so you may not find all ice cream at each location (sometimes, there were only 1 or 2 vegan option available).
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I live in Busan and am trying out all the vegan flavors before my brother visits me, because he can’t have dairy. Unfortunately, I noticed the back of the packaging on the 죠스 아이스크림, has dairy, as it shows “우유,” which means milk. I’m still trying out all the flavors, but I’m glad I can speak and read Korean, so my brother won’t get sick because I’ll help him. So, ALWAYS check the labels for yourselves to be sure everyone!~~ ^^
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Hi Tisha, thanks for your message! I checked the label on 죠스 아이스크림 again, but I do not see dairy in the ingredient list. It mentions milk (우유) in the disclaimer mentioning that it may contain traces of it because it has been produced in a factory handling other foods containing allergens, including milk, pork, eggs, peaches, wheat, tomato, walnuts, peanuts.
Certainly, if your brother is highly sensitive against any possible traces of dairy, it is best to watch out for foods that may be cross-contaminated.
Stay safe~
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