Pepero is a thin biscuit stick dipped in chocolate or cream, made by Lotte, and it has its own unofficial holiday. Pepero Day falls on 11 November every year.
Here is where Pepero came from, how the day started and how to use it as a reason to share a snack.
What Pepero is
Lotte launched Pepero in South Korea in 1983. It is a biscuit stick with a coating, and it comes in many flavours, including chocolate and almond. Asia Economy's 2024 piece on Pepero notes that Japan's Pocky, a similar stick from Ezaki Glico, came first, in 1966.
It has done well. The same article reports cumulative sales of about 2 trillion won, and exports to around 50 countries.
How Pepero Day started
Pepero Day is not an official holiday, and nobody is certain when it began. The earliest newspaper mention that Asia Economy cites is from 1996. The most plausible origin it gives is that teenage girls in the Gyeongnam region exchanged Pepero on 11 November in the 1990s, wishing each other to become slim like a Pepero stick. Sales rose in the region, and Lotte's marketing grew from there.
Today the day is for exchanging Pepero with friends, partners and family. The idea is simple and small, and that is the point of it.
Ways to mark it
- Swapping a box with a friend. No wrapping needed.
- Tucking a pack into a lunch bag or on a desk. The gesture is the gift.
- Tying a few packs together. A bundle looks like a bouquet.
- Sharing at the office. One box goes round a team in a minute.
It fits the idea behind ganshik, the Korean word for food eaten between meals. We wrote about that, and about Pepero, in the Ganshik post.
Pepero in the Korean Snack Box
Pepero comes in four flavours in our Korean Snack Box, alongside Kancho Choco, French Pie and more. The box is on sale for October only, so if you want one for Pepero Day, order before the month ends. If a box has gone, a few favourites move to The Shelf.
Before you share one
Ingredients differ by flavour, and some flavours contain nuts. Check the pack, particularly if you are giving it to someone with an allergy. Our product page lists the ingredients and allergens for each item.
If you are choosing a gift, not a snack
Pepero Day is a small-gesture holiday, so a single box is enough. If you want something more, our guide to snack gift boxes covers sizes and occasions.
Questions about Pepero Day
When is Pepero Day? 11 November every year. In 2026 it falls on a Wednesday.
Is Pepero the same as Pocky? They are similar biscuit sticks, but Pepero is made by Lotte in Korea and Pocky by Ezaki Glico in Japan.
Is Pepero Day an official holiday? No. It is a commercial and cultural tradition, and it began informally.
Where can I buy Pepero in the UAE? One option is the Korean Snack Box, which delivers free across the UAE.
Pick a pack, hand it over and say nothing else.
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