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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Grand Slam item in North Korea black market - Choco Pie

Posted: 1/27/2014 4:54:41 AM EDT

http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/27/world/asia/choco-pie-koreas/

How Choco Pie infiltrated North Korea's sweet tooth

The first time the South Korean factory owner watched his North Korean employees nibble on a Choco Pie, they appeared shocked -- even overwhelmed.

He summed up their reaction to the South Korean snack in one word: "Ecstasy."

Much like what Twinkies are to Americans, South Korea's Choco Pies -- two disc-shaped, chocolate-covered cakes, sandwiching a rubbery layer of marshmallow cream -- are ubiquitous, cost less than 50 cents and are full of empty calories.

But on the other side of the Korean border, the snacks are viewed as exotic, highly prized treats, selling on North Korea's black markets for as much as $10, according to analysts. Their rising popularity in the north reveals an unexpected common ground between the two Koreas, despite their fractious relationship -- a shared sweet tooth.

We need to saturate the country with leaflets that say "Kill a commie and win a box of Choco Pies"

Posted: 1/27/2014 5:04:30 AM EDT

[#1]

That's a Moonpie.

Posted: 1/27/2014 5:05:49 AM EDT

[#2]

That's it! We bomb the norks with moon pies, wait for them to all get diabetes and then we can walk right through!

We'll even let e have some RC Cola!

Posted: 1/27/2014 5:06:02 AM EDT

[#3]

Quote History

Quoted:

That's a Moonpie.

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Posted: 1/27/2014 5:07:44 AM EDT

[#4]

How can I get one of those? All I've been eating is dead birds and coffee made from snow.

Posted: 1/27/2014 5:10:53 AM EDT

[#5]

Quote History

Quoted:
That's a Moonpie.

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Posted: 1/27/2014 5:13:45 AM EDT

[#6]

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Quoted:
How can I get one of those? All I've been eating is dead birds and coffee made from snow.

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only on tuesdays

Posted: 1/27/2014 5:39:27 AM EDT

[#7]

Al while the US easts snow

Posted: 1/27/2014 5:45:52 AM EDT

[#8]

Geez, I have to do all the heavy lifting around here.

History

Variations on the original go back as far as 1917 in the American South. In 1929, Chattanooga Bakery created the official Moon pie with marshmallow filling and Graham crackers for local miners in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

In the wake of World War II and the Korean War, the snack gained popularity in East Asia through its introduction by American GIs. Starting in 1958, a similar type of marshmallow filled cake was developed by Morinaga in Japan as 'Angel Pie'.

Orion Confectionery began selling a similar product known as 'Orion Choco Pie' in 1974. The company claims that in 1973, a member of the Tongyang R&D team visited a hotel in Georgia, US, and was inspired by the chocolate-coated sweets available in the hotel's restaurant. He returned to South Korea and began experimenting with a chocolate biscuit cake, creating the Choco Pie as it is known to Koreans. The name 'Choco Pie' became popular when Tongyang first released the Orion Choco Pie, and was well received by Korean children as well as the elderly thanks to its affordable price and white marshmallow filling. Tongyang Confectionery later renamed the company Orion Confectionery thanks to the success of the Orion Choco Pie brand.

In 1979 Lotte Confectionery began to sell a similar confection. When Lotte Confectionery put the Lotte Choco Pie on the market, it chose to spell the prefix 'Cho' slightly differently in Hangul from how Tongyang was spelling it. Haitai and Crown Confectionery also began selling their own versions of Choco pies. In 1999 Tongyang (Orion) filed a lawsuit against Lotte for their use of the term 'Choco Pie'. The results of the court ruling, however, determined that the term 'Choco Pie' was to be considered a common noun due to its generic descriptive sense in reference to confections of similar composition.

Posted: 1/27/2014 6:03:24 AM EDT

[#9]

moonpies, Soju, OB Beer, and nasty Korean cigarettes ahh the memories still haunt me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted: 1/27/2014 6:08:19 AM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:
That's a Moonpie.

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wagon wheels up here

Posted: 1/27/2014 6:10:32 AM EDT

[#11]

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wagon wheels up here

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Quoted:

Quoted:
That's a Moonpie.

wagon wheels up here

Go home Canada, you're drunk.

Posted: 1/27/2014 6:11:04 AM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:
Al while the US easts snow

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Al did what?

TRG

Posted: 1/27/2014 6:17:20 AM EDT

[#13]

Choco Pie, tastes great. Yes, it does.

But......I guess the reporter never saw the S.Korean movie, "J.S.A."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjVoDUDqNWA

Choco Pie (58:18)

Aloha, Mark

Posted: 1/27/2014 6:19:47 AM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:
That's a Rev. Sun Myung Moonpie.

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FIFY.

Posted: 1/27/2014 6:31:28 AM EDT

[#15]

How about we just bomb the North with MRE's and Banana and Chocolate Moon Pies for desert for 30 days...saturation bombing and then stop...tell them that if they do not kill that retard in charge we will never give them again...

Posted: 1/27/2014 6:35:21 AM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:
How about we just bomb the North with MRE's and Banana and Chocolate Moon Pies for desert for 30 days...saturation bombing and then stop...tell them that if they do not kill that retard in charge we will never give them again...

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Sounds like a good idea. ...

Tons cheaper than a set of cruise missiles. ..

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

Posted: 1/27/2014 6:36:18 AM EDT

[#17]

Choco pies suck and a Moon Pie kicks it in the ass . I purchased a whole box at the local international market . They are not very good . Moon pies win !!!!!!! They are not very expensive and come in a red box .

Posted: 1/27/2014 6:44:28 AM EDT

[#18]

Quote History

Quoted:
Choco pies suck and a Moon Pie kicks it in the ass . I purchased a whole box at the local international market . They are not very good . Moon pies win !!!!!!! They are not very expensive and come in a red box .

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Ok, ok slightly different but, almost the same. Me, I've always thought of Choco Pie as a brand of Moon Pie. I buy this brand.

And yes, there are different fillings and slight variations to be had.

Aloha, Mark

Posted: 1/27/2014 6:47:15 AM EDT

[#19]

Quote History

Quoted:

Al did what?

TRG

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Quoted:

Quoted:
Al while the US easts snow

Al did what?

TRG

I don't know what he did, but I know he was heading east when he did it.

Posted: 1/27/2014 6:48:44 AM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/27/world/asia/choco-pie-koreas/

How Choco Pie infiltrated North Korea's sweet tooth

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/140125223953-evc-choco-pie-story-top.png

The first time the South Korean factory owner watched his North Korean employees nibble on a Choco Pie, they appeared shocked -- even overwhelmed.

He summed up their reaction to the South Korean snack in one word: "Ecstasy."

Much like what Twinkies are to Americans, South Korea's Choco Pies -- two disc-shaped, chocolate-covered cakes, sandwiching a rubbery layer of marshmallow cream -- are ubiquitous, cost less than 50 cents and are full of empty calories.

But on the other side of the Korean border, the snacks are viewed as exotic, highly prized treats, selling on North Korea's black markets for as much as $10, according to analysts. Their rising popularity in the north reveals an unexpected common ground between the two Koreas, despite their fractious relationship -- a shared sweet tooth.

We need to saturate the country with leaflets that say "Kill a commie and win a box of Choco Pies"

View Quote

They just might be stupid enough to read it and then kill themselves.

Posted: 1/27/2014 6:50:55 AM EDT

[#21]

Quote History

Quoted:

How about we just bomb the North with MRE's and Banana and Chocolate Moon Pies for desert for 30 days...saturation bombing and then stop...tell them that if they do not kill that retard in charge we will never give them again...

View Quote

MRE's? That's a great way to win friends and influence people. I'd say we could do better by dropping Popeye's Fried Chicken instead. Maybe we could toss in some Moe's Burritos and some really good barbecued ribs for really tough areas. The place would never be the same.

Posted: 1/27/2014 6:52:41 AM EDT

[#22]

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Quoted:
Al while the US easts snow

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Its safe as long as its not yellow.....

Posted: 1/27/2014 7:07:33 AM EDT

[#23]

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Its safe as long as its not yellow.....

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Quoted:
Al while the US easts snow

Its safe as long as its not yellow.....

I herd it the wests.

TRG

Posted: 1/27/2014 7:16:00 AM EDT

[#24]

One of my employees (a ROK veteran, no less) brings us boxes around Christmas. Stateside Koreans like 'em, too.

Posted: 1/27/2014 7:17:50 AM EDT

[#25]

Quote History

Quoted:
Al while the US easts snow

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brb, getting coffee

Posted: 1/27/2014 7:58:13 AM EDT

[#26]

Quote History

Quoted:
That's a Moonpie.

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First post and all that. Have some in my pantry. MMMMMM GOOOOOODDDDDD!!!!!!! Off to eat one now!!!

Posted: 1/27/2014 8:24:43 AM EDT

[#27]

Quote History

Quoted:
Choco Pie, tastes great. Yes, it does.

But......I guess the reporter never saw the S.Korean movie, "J.S.A."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjVoDUDqNWA

Choco Pie (58:18)

Aloha, Mark

View Quote

That was a pretty good movie. thanks.

Posted: 1/27/2014 9:21:19 AM EDT

[#28]

I grew up eating Choco Pies. My grandparents always had some and would give them to me and my brother. I still eat them occasionally. Heard the Russians liked them too.

Posted: 1/27/2014 11:11:48 AM EDT

[#29]

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Quoted:
Heard the Russians liked them too.

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When S. Korea and Russia started trading after cold war ended it was one of the items Russians bought the most. I've heard rumors that they now have a factory in Russia

Wiki doesn't have the info, but Choco pie is one of items that is used to calculate CPI in Korea. Not sure if they are still used or not, but at one point they were.

and CNN is late by about 10 years.