Luxury hotels elevate 'bingsu' with premium seasonal fruits, ingredients

Is bingsu, or shaved ice, nothing more than a dessert? 

As summer approaches, the answer seems to point to “no.” These days, the sweet treat can be found topped with Jeju apple mangoes, matcha powder and even rare seasonal ingredients at five-star hotels across Korea.

Luxury hotels are focusing on and expanding their dessert offerings by pairing high-end ingredients with elaborate visuals, as demand grows for “small luxury” experiences and social media-ready dining.

The Shilla Seoul has recently begun selling its signature summer dessert, an apple mango bingsu, according to industry sources on Tuesday. The hotel rotates the flavor base of its shaved ice dessert every season, offering an apple mango edition in the summer, strawberry in the winter and honeycomb affogato in the spring and fall.

The hotel has also drawn attention by unconventionally pairing bingsu with alcoholic drinks, such as apple mango bingsu with wine, strawberry bingsu with champagne and honeycomb affogato bingsu with whiskey.

The Shilla Jeju introduced a smaller-sized “petit apple mango bingsu” ahead of the full-scale start of the apple mango season. The dessert is designed for one or two people — a more approachable portion size than its original offering.

Hotels under Josun Hotels & Resorts have also developed bingsu varieties that reflect each brand’s identity.

Josun Palace in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, has unveiled a bingsu topped with Jeju-origin apple mango, lime zest and edible gold flakes. Fresh lime juice is served on the side, allowing guests to adjust the level of citrus to their taste. The Westin Josun Seoul’s watermelon bingsu combines high-sugar watermelon-flavored shaved ice, fresh watermelon and chocolate resembling watermelon seeds.

Jeju-grown apple mangoes are also taking center stage for dessert promotions at Signiel, Lotte Hotels & Resorts’ luxury brand. Signiel Seoul, for example, features bingsu decorated with apple mangoes and gold flakes, alongside mango puree, mango tapioca pearls and mascarpone cheese sauce.

According to Lotte Hotels & Resorts, sales of mango bingsu at Signiel Busan rose about 20 percent last year compared to the previous year, as demand for small luxury experiences expanded. Sales of mango bingsu at Signiel Seoul also increased five percent over the same period.

The Four Seasons in Seoul introduced a classic bingsu made with organic milk-based shaved ice and Korean pears, as well as a Jeju apple mango bingsu. The latter incorporates “mango spheres,” created using molecular gastronomy techniques, to heighten the dessert’s visual appeal.

Not to be outdone, the JW Marriott in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, has launched a Jeju apple mango bingsu and a cinnamon pear bingsu made with pears from Naju in South Jeolla. The hotel said the cinnamon pear dessert combines pear-flavored shaved ice, fresh pears and pears marinated in cinnamon syrup to create layered flavors and textures.

Meanwhile, Paradise Hotel & Resort has introduced three premium shaved ice desserts: Jeju apple mango bingsu, matcha red bean bingsu and tomato bingsu. Paradise City in Incheon unveiled a bingsu that combines Japanese Uji matcha and Sicilian-style granita, and Paradise Hotel Busan launched a bingsu platter served with mango shortcake and sorbet.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]