Universal Yums is a snack subscription box that sends out snacks and candies from a different country each month. Choose from the Yum Box for $16.00 per month, the Yum Yum Box for $27.00 per month, or the Super Yum Box for $41.00 per month.
This review is of the Yum Yum box, which is $27.00 per month.
This month’s box takes us to South Korea! Let's dive in and discover this month's Yums!
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About Universal Yums
The Subscription Box: Universal Yums
The cost: $27.00 per month + free U.S. shipping (save with a prepaid annual plan)
The Products: The contents of the boxes change each month as they highlight the best snacks from each featured country. However, you can always expect a mix of flavors: salty, sweet, spicy, fruity, and more. Only authentic snacks from the featured country are included in this box.
Ships to: The U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, and Israel
Universal Yums “South Korea” Review
Back when I was in the 6th grade, the charter school I had attended since kindergarten closed due to a declining population. As there were only six of us heading into the 7th grade, I had to decide which of the surrounding schools I would spend my delicate middle school and high school years at. Starting a new school as a middle schooler was terrifying, especially because all of the other students had been together since the beginning. I found it hard to transition, so my mom suggested I find a pen pal. She did some digging on a website and a week later I had been matched with a girl that was also in 7th grade, but who lived in South Korea. Through two years of letters, we learned so much about each other and our customs and cultures. My friend was planning on coming to the US for college, but we lost touch before that. Receiving this month's Universal Yums from South Korea brought back those fun memories of tearing open those special letters, which I have kept, and gave me a little peek into my old pen pal's home country.
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Every month we receive a brightly illustrated map that usually shows where our Yums are coming from. This month's map of South Korea included fun facts and trivia about Seoul, Yangsan, Asan, and Gyeongju. On the opposing side, we have the "Yum Scoreboard," which includes a list of the box's treats and an area for you to score each of them. We also received some info suggesting Yums from the Yum Shop based on items you may have loved from this box. Again, we didn't get a clue for our next box, but we did get to complete a fun scavenger hunt.
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While the snacks are what it's all about, I love the inclusion of this brightly colored, information-filled pamphlet. Not only do we learn about each individual snack, but we also get to experience South Korean culture through photographs, trivia, recipes, and webtoons. My boys and I loved flipping through the pages of this booklet while devouring the treats from that country. Not only does it make snack time educational, but it makes it fun too!
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Crunchy Pepero - Buy a pack of 3 for $5.40
Interesting fact, every November 11th in Korea is Pepero Day! While the origin of this day is still debated, it sounds like the holiday entails friends and family exchanging these biscuit sticks to show their love and appreciation for each other. After trying these sweet, salty, and crunchy delights, I might just start celebrating this holiday myself! Not only are these sticks unique in presentation, but they taste almost like an upscale version of a chocolate-dipped pretzel. Yum!
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Cinnamon Sugar Churros- Buy a pack of 2 for $4.40
When I think of churros, I first think of Spain, so I was a bit surprised to see these cinnamon sugar churros in the South Korea box. It was explained however that between 2013 and 2014 the number of churro shops in Seoul more than quadrupled, and now they sell over 3,000 churros per day. They also mention that they are superstar boyband BTS's favorite snack. So what did we think of the sweet snack? Delightful! These little crimped tube shapes are crunchy and sweet with the perfect amount of sugar and cinnamon sprinkled throughout. The bag suggests enjoying these treats with chocolate syrup, ice cream, and coffee. Which of course I did...and I have to say I'm glad they sent a generous portion!
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Cocoa & Coconut Puffs - Buy a pack of 4 for $5.20
I have to be honest at first glance, these choco corn puffs look anything but appetizing....my youngest mentioned something about a litter box when seeing them, which is never a good thing. But what they lack in looks they make up for in taste! These corn puffs are just the right consistency - soft and chewy with a deep cocoa flavor topped off with tiny coconut bits. Paired with churros and coffee, you are in for a real treat!
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Banana Choco Pie - Buy a pack of 12 for $7.20
I have found pre-packaged snack cakes to be hit or miss, and sadly this banana choco pie was a miss. While the chocolate was sweet and lovely on the outside, the inside was dry and crumbly with a banana flavor that was just okay. Did that stop me from eating the entire little cake, well no, but I won't be purchasing anymore from the Yum Shop anytime soon.
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Korean Strawberry Gummies - Buy a pack of 2 for $4.20
As we all know, my kids are gummy obsessed. As soon as the box gets opened, they dive in to see if it contains any gummies. Well, luck was on their side this month as we received this package of strawberry gummies. Looking adorable with embossed seeds and stem, these bi-color strawberries are as sweet as they look. We enjoyed the flavor and consistency, as well as the fun packaging!
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Korean Fried Chicken Balls - Buy a pack of 4 for $4.00
I noticed our next snack is listed in the booklet as "Korean Fried Chicken Balls" which is hilarious, but not as appetizing as the "Spicy Chicken Corn Puffs" title listed on the actual package. Either way, these bites are DELICIOUS! These honestly taste like fried chicken rolled in spicy sweet and sour sauce and I am all here for it. I have never had a snack so addicting and delicious. The kids weren't impressed with the spice, thinking it was a little too much, but I found these snacks to be perfection. I will definitely be ordering more of these from the Yum Shop because they are that good!
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Sour Grape Chews - Buy a pack of 6 for $4.20
Everyone in our household enjoys sweet and sour treats, so these sour grape chews were a welcomed item. With a texture similar to taffy, these were really chewy and started out a little bit sour progressing into a sweet grape flavor. Not only were these little rectangles tasty, but we loved the adorable packaging as well!
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Korean Truffle Potato Chips - Buy a pack of 2 for $5.00
I love the sleek black packaging of these fancy truffle potato chips, but that's kind of where my love stops. I am not the biggest fan of mushrooms, and while I thought it was more of a texture thing, I decided after trying these chips that it is a flavor thing as well. The potato chips themselves were good. They were both crunchy and salty but packed with an earthy/dirt flavor of the truffle. My kids said, "they are good and not so good, we can't decide." I'm not quite sure what that means, but I'm guessing if you are a fan of truffles, you will be a fan of these chips. Let me know what you thought of them in the comments!
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Mascarpone Cream Cookies - Buy a pack of 2 for $4.00
While the truffle chips just weren't for me, these mascarpone cream cookies sure were!! Wrapped in beautiful individual wrappers, we received a whole box full of these slim and decadent little cookies! With just the right consistency of wafer and cream, I demolished these babies way too fast. Don't you worry though, they are already in my Yum cart!
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Custard Cream Cake - Buy a pack of 6 for $4.80
So our first pre-packaged cake was a dud this month, but they redeemed themselves with this one. Moist and lightly sweetened, this custard cream cake looks a little odd but tastes pretty darn good. We all enjoyed the custard filling and found it to pair well with coffee and hot cocoa.
The Verdict: The South Korea Universal Yums box was a delight! Although we had two items we didn't particularly care for, the rest of the treats were hits. Not only were the treats delicious, but it was a little heavy on the sweets this month...which I happen to adore. Getting to explore a new country while wearing our pajamas is so much fun, made extra special as this is where my shoebox full of pen pal letters came from. The only qualm I have this month is the number of treats....this month we only received 10 when we usually receive a much higher number. I do understand we received a box of cookies, but this seemed a little disappointing to me. What did you think?
Scorecard Picks:
- Best Yum: Date Korean Friend Chicken Balls
- Runner-up: Mascarpone Cream Cookies
- Worst Yum: Korean Truffle Potato Chips
- Most Unusual: Cocoa and Coconut Puffs
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Yes, sign up now and choose to start with either the South Korea or Turkey box.
Value Breakdown: This box is $27.00 per month (including shipping). I received 10 individually wrapped snacks which average out to $2.70 per item.
Check out all of our Universal Yums reviews and the best snack subscription boxes!
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