Reporters from the Seoul Economic Daily's consumer industry desk buy the hottest new products at stores with their own money, try them together and share their reviews.
It is a new product, yet the taste is somehow familiar. Bite into the soft bun and sweet sweet-potato cream spreads through the mouth. One reporter was reminded of the steamed buns sold in winter, while another said it was like eating sweet potato cake. The product is No Brand's Sweet Potato Cream Bun.
The buns sampled for this edition of New Product Unboxing cost 4,980 won for 160 grams. It is a simple combination — a bun filled with sweet potato cream — but the familiar flavor was cited as a strength. Four of the five reporters on the consumer industry desk gave the taste three stars or more. The generous filling and soft texture drew good marks. One reporter, however, gave a single star, saying it was no different from existing sweet potato breads.
Ratings for the price were harsher than those for the taste. Some said it felt like enjoying sweet potato cake for 4,980 won, while others said they would pick a different snack, such as Choco Pie or Castard, for the same money. Price scores ranged from one star to five. The taste generally passed muster, but whether they would open their wallets again varied from reporter to reporter.
No Brand Sweet Potato Cream Bun (pack of four, 4,980 won)
■ Ursa (the type who wants to wrap up the day with a Jack and Coke after work but finds even getting ice out of the freezer too much trouble)
One bite was enough to think this is a flavor anyone would like, young or old. The bun is pillowy soft, and the sweet potato cream inside is smooth and sweet. It feels closer to eating sweet potato cake than a plain cream bun. The texture of the bun and cream melting together in the mouth was especially appealing. At 4,980 won, it feels like eating a good-value sweet potato cake. The flavor is not particularly new, but it is more than enough for easygoing, familiar sweetness.
Taste ★★★☆☆
Price ★★★☆☆
Would buy again ★★★☆☆
■ Old-Man Palate (eats everything without being picky but keeps away from sweets. Enjoys bitter coffee and prefers balanced flavors over intense ones)
Better than expected. There are no special ingredients or inventive combinations, just the familiar pairing of bread and sweet potato cream, but the simplicity came across as a strength. The characteristic sweetness of sweet potato blends well with the bun, making it easy for anyone to enjoy. The combination is nothing new, but that does not mean the taste is ordinary. The product shows that staying faithful to the basics can deliver better results than flashy variations.
Taste ★★★☆☆
Price ★★☆☆☆
Would buy again ★★★☆☆
■ Dreaming Gourmet (likes straightforward flavors but makes an effort — sort of — to savor the layers in food. Loves cilantro, loves coconut!)
The fluffy bun is packed with sweet potato filling. It is not warm like a fish-shaped pastry, but perhaps because of the sweet potato, it somehow feels like a substitute for the steamed buns eaten in winter. It would have been too much had it been any bigger, but it is just small enough to work as a snack. Thanks to the generous filling, the sweetness is fairly strong.
Taste ★★★★☆
Price ★★★★★
Would buy again ★★★☆☆
■ Scrooge Palate (a demanding eater who rarely spares a glance for most desserts. But once won over, the classic "fixed-preference" type who sticks to that one thing)
Expectations were low from the moment I saw it. And so it was. It tastes like the sweet potato bread everyone already knows. It has a moderate sweetness reminiscent of kabocha-type sweet potato. A middling flavor that does little to vary sweet potato cake. The product does not even suit the purpose of this New Product Unboxing column, which looks at new items. If forced to name a redeeming point, it would be that the bun is reasonably moist and soft.
Taste ★☆☆☆☆
Price ★☆☆☆☆
Would buy again ☆☆☆☆☆
■ Three Coffees a Day (a walking melting pot of flavors, from Korean to Mediterranean. Who you eat with matters more than what you eat)
The sweet, soft bun typical of Castard-style products meets expectations. The sweet potato cream also does its job as expected. The bun and cream come together well in both flavor and texture. Factoring in the price, though, one star should probably come off. A bun about the size of a Big Pie costs more than 1,200 won, and at that price I would choose another pie or bread available at the supermarket, such as Choco Pie, Castard or the various flavors of Oh Yes.
Taste ★★★☆☆
Price ★★☆☆☆
Would buy again ★☆☆☆☆
