Korean culture has won fans worldwide, not just through K-pop and K-movies, but now through its desserts too. More and more people are falling in love with Korean sweets, from classic treats like Gyeongdan (sweet rice cakes) and Yakgwa (honey cookies) to the creative modern versions inspired by them. These desserts are simple, unique, and full of flavor, making them an exciting new way for people everywhere to enjoy Korean culture.
Drago London is a handmade dessert brand established by Audrey Park with the intention of sharing Korean food culture, especially traditional sweets, with a wider audience. Their signature item is Yakgwa, but beyond that, they also reinterpret Korean ingredients, flavors, and nostalgic memories into modern desserts. Each menu item carries a story, and Drago London is Audrey’s way of translating Korea’s dessert heritage into a fresh, contemporary experience.
Audrey Park was born in Seoul, Korea, and she currently lives and works in London as a chef. Her culinary journey has taken her through Michelin-starred kitchens in Japan, Australia, Italy, and now the UK, where she continues to build her career.
Drago London has been actively bringing Korean desserts to a wider audience through a series of pop-up events. They’ve showcased their Yakgwa and other Korean sweets at community-driven events such as Market Root 2024/2025 and Jangteo 2025 in London.
Below are excerpts from an email interview with her on Nov 26.
1. At what point did you decide to bring Yakgwa to London, and what led to that choice?
Drago began selling Yakgwa in the spring of 2023. During a trip to Korea, I witnessed firsthand the nationwide rediscovery and popularity of Yakgwa. It made me think, how wonderful it would be if Koreans living in London could enjoy this nostalgic taste as well?
What surprised me was how quickly our customer base expanded beyond the Korean community. Today, the majority of our customers are non-Koreans who are deeply interested in Korean culture. Yakgwa has grown into something much bigger than I initially imagined.
2. Why did you select yakgwa as the centerpiece of your dessert menu?
When it comes to traditional Korean desserts, nothing represents our heritage quite like Yakgwa. Modern street snacks such as Bungeoppang or Hotteok are beloved, but their history is relatively recent; they aren’t considered “traditional” in a historical sense. Many trendy Korean desserts today also take strong inspiration from foreign influences.
Yakgwa, however, holds a unique and symbolic place. Korea did not historically use ovens, so deep-frying sweets in precious oil and infusing them with honey was a rare luxury. Yakgwa was served only on the most important occasions, ancestral rites, celebrations, and ceremonial gatherings. To me, Yakgwa carries the essence of Korean dessert culture more faithfully than anything else.
3. Is your Yakgwa more classic, modern, or both?
While many of Drago’s desserts reinterpret Korean flavors in a modern way, our Yakgwa is intentionally kept very traditional. I make it using classic techniques and ratios, staying as close as possible to the form that has been passed down for generations. It’s my way of preserving the integrity of the original.
4. What do you think pairs best with Yakgwa?
Yakgwa is rich, oily, and intensely sweet, in the most comforting way. Because of its heaviness, I believe it pairs best with a warm tea that helps refresh the palate. A simple herbal tea or barley tea balances the stickiness and allows the flavors to shine without overwhelming the senses.
5. Has the response to Yakgwa in London surprised you?
Absolutely. I was amazed by how many people already knew of Yakgwa or were actively seeking it out. What surprised me even more was hearing customers use the actual Korean name “Yakgwa” instead of calling it “honey cookie” or another English description.
Many people also told me that Yakgwa reminded them of sweets from their own cultures, which made me realise that Yakgwa has a universally familiar quality. It’s comforting, approachable, and has a flavor profile that resonates with people regardless of background. It confirmed that this dessert carries a kind of warmth that can reach anyone.
6. What does it mean to you to share Korean dessert culture in London?
Even though I’ve spent many years working abroad, my identity as a Korean chef has always been at the core of everything I create. My heritage naturally finds its way into my food, in the flavors, in the storytelling, and in the emotion behind each dish.
Seeing more people take a genuine interest in Korean culture has been incredibly meaningful and something I feel deeply proud of. To me, sharing the beauty of Korea through food is not just work; it’s a form of self-expression and a way of honoring my roots.
Whether it’s a part of Korean culture that is already well-known or something that is still being discovered, I want to continue learning, researching, and introducing these elements to people here. Sharing Korean dessert culture in London feels like a personal mission as much as a professional one.
7. Besides Yakgwa, what other Korean desserts do you share with people in London?
Some of Drago’s most popular items at the moment are our ‘’Red Bean Cookie’’ and ‘’Black Sesame Cookie.’’ Both desserts are built around quintessential Korean ingredients: red bean and black sesame, but reinterpreted through the lens of European baking traditions.
Rather than presenting them in the conventional Korean forms, I use familiar formats such as scones and shortbread-style cookies to create something modern while still holding onto the soul of the original flavors. They’re desserts that bridge two cultures, and people have responded very warmly to them.
8. What are your plans?
Drago will continue to explore, study, and develop more menus, with the goal of introducing Korean desserts in a wider range of spaces and occasions.
I am also currently writing a book about Korean desserts, which I aim to publish in the winter of next year. I hope it becomes a meaningful resource for anyone who wants to understand Korean sweets more deeply.
And if the right opportunity comes along, I would love for Drago to grow into a small café or dessert shop one day, a place where people can easily visit, relax, and enjoy our creations. It’s not a concrete plan yet, but it’s a dream I hold close.
Drago London’s Yakgwa brings a taste of Korean tradition to everyone, not just Koreans. By sharing Yakgwa and other Korean desserts, Drago London preserves heritage while connecting people through flavor, culture, and a simple love of sweets.
How about this article?
- Like3
- Support2
- Amazing1
- Sad0
- Curious0
- Insightful0
