Nov 11

Korea’s Iconic Winter Snack Part 2 - 호구마 & 3 Types of Korean Sweet Potatoes

💎 What you'll learn in this post

📌 Heads up before you read

Overnight Sensation Words Expressions that are particularly common in conversations during cold winters like now

⚡ Frequency of use by K-pop fans

★☆☆☆☆

⚡ Frequency of use in general

★★★★☆

호구마[ho-gu-ma]

Orange sweet potato

[ho-gu-ma] is short for 호박 고구마[ho-bak go-gu-ma],

✅ 호박[ho-bak]: Pumpkin

✅ 고구마[go-gu-ma]: Sweet Potato

It combines [ho-bak] (pumpkin) and [go-gu-ma] (sweet potato) to refer to a sweet potato that is yellow like pumpkin and has a high sugar content.

🎁 Essential insights into Korean culture

The word [ho-gu-ma], which humorously depicts family life, originated from the sitcom 'High Kick'.

<In High Kick Through The Roof Episode 7>

⬇ Watch the [ho-gu-ma] scene from High Kick ⬇

(English subtitles available)

When the yellow sweet potato dish was served, Na Moon-hee (playing the role of the mother-in-law) mistakenly called it [go-gu-ma ho-bak]. 😭 Her daughter-in-law, Park Hae-mi, repeatedly corrected her, saying, "It's [ho-bak go-gu-ma], Mother!" Na Moon-hee felt her pride hurt as Park Hae-mi pointed out her mistake in front of the whole family instead of just letting it slide. Na Moon-hee kept saying [go-gu-ma ho-bak], and during the repeated corrections from Park Hae-mi, she eventually exploded and yelled, "HO BAK GO GU MA! HOBAK GOGUMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" as her emotions ran high. 🤣

This scene is considered one of the most memorable moments of High Kick Through The Roof, and was so popular that it was voted by viewers as the scene they wanted to see again. Even though it aired in 2006-2007, this moment remains a popular clip among Koreans to this day.

⬇ [ho-gu-ma] is actually used by various brands as a product name and is often used in marketing ⬇

🔥 Boosting Korean Knowledge

Sweet Potato Varieties

밤 고구마[bam go-gu-ma]: Named for its chestnut-like flavor, this variety has a firm texture and is dry when steamed or baked, giving it a crumbly mouthfeel. Those who prefer a drier texture often choose chestnut sweet potatoes.
✅ 밤[bam]: Chestnut
호박고구마[ho-bak go-gu-ma]: This variety gets its name from its yellowish, pumpkin-like flesh. Although smaller than regular sweet potatoes, it is rich in moisture and sugar, and has a soft texture and sweet flavor.
꿀 고구마[kkul go-gu-ma]: This variety is a cross between chestnut and pumpkin. True to its name, it has a honey-like sweetness but is firmer compared to pumpkin.
✅ 꿀[kkul]: Honey