Sungsimdang () is a Western-style bakery in

Daejeon Daejeon (; ) is South Korea's list of cities in South Korea, fifth-largest metropolis, with a population of nearly 1.5 million. Located in a central lowland valley between the Sobaek Mountains and the Geum River, the city is known both as a ...

, South Korea. It is most well known for

soboro-ppang ''Soboro-ppang'' (), or ''gombo-ppang'' (; South Korean standard language, standard language), often translated as ''soboro'' bread, ''soboro'' pastry, or ''soboro'' bun, and also known as Korean streusel bread, is a sweet bun with a streusel-like ...

and chive bread. The small chain has been hailed as one of the best in the nation and is a representative brand of the city. Annual sales were KRW 53.2 billion in 2018.

Description

Founded in 1956 as Sungsimdang, the bakery was incorporated in 2001 as Rosso Ltd. under Lim Gilsun. After incorporation, the brand opened additional bakeries and restaurants within Daejeon. In 2012, the brand received patent 10-1104547 for their soboro-ppang recipe. Sungsimdang baked bread for

Pope Francis Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...

during his visit to the peninsula in 2014. The following year, Gilsun was granted the

Order of St. Gregory the Great The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great (; ) was established on 1 September 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election as Pope. The order is one of the five Papal order of knighthood, orders of knighthood of th ...

as he had been donating bread to orphanages and nursing homes for decades. Seongsimdang continued to grow, with annual sales reaching 40 billion won by 2015. In 2021, it topped the list of non-branded bakeries in the country, recording 63 billion won in sales. It recorded 80 billion won in sales in 2022 and surpassed the 100 billion won marker with 124.3 billion won in 2023. It is a famous bakery that ranks first in sales among non-franchised bakeries nationwide. It is one of the most famous places in Daejeon and the most recognizable among the three major bakeries in the country. In addition to holding the highest profile among famous bakeries, it is a bakery that has been introduced in the Michelin Guide and is held up as one of the best representatives of local self-employment.

History

In December 1950, founder Lim Gil-soon and his family left Heungnam Pier on the ship

SS Meredith Victory The SS ''Meredith Victory'' was a United States Merchant Marine Victory ship, a type of cargo freighter built for World War II. Under the leadership of Captain Leonard LaRue, ''Meredith Victory'' is credited with the largest humanitarian rescue ...

and settled on Geoje Island. Lim boarded a train in 1956 to move his residence to Seoul, but his train broke down at Daejeon Station and so the family remained in Daejeon. Lim and his family had nowhere to go, so they visited the Daeheung-dong Catholic Church near Daejeon Station and informed the priest of their situation. The priest gave them two bags of flour out of sympathy, and Lim started a steamed bun business with a "Sungsimdang" sign in front of Daejeon Station.

Brands and Branches

Head office

Bread purchased at the Sacred Heart Hall on the first floor is free to eat at the terrace kitchen on the second floor. * Address: Bangtong-dong, 1st floor, 15, Daejong-ro 480beon-gil, Jung-gu, Daejeon

Daejeon Station Branch

This store is located in Daejeon Station, and the greatest advantage of the location is that you can buy it before taking a train or you can drop in while transferring trains. * Address: 2nd floor, 215 Jungang-ro, Dong-gu, Daejeon

Lotte Department Store Daejeon Branch

It is open from 8 am to 10 pm, independently from the department store. It sells items made exclusively for Lotte Department Store in Daejeon. * Address: 598, Gyeryong-ro, Seo-gu, Daejeon, 1st floor (Goejeong-dong, Lotte Department Store Daejeon Branch)

DCC Branch

It is the newest branch, opening to the public in November 2023. * Address: 107, Expo-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 1st floor (Doryong-dong, Daejeon Convention Center) Sungsimdang also has imprints throughout Daejeon including Cake Boutique, Old Taste, Café, Restaurant (Terras Kitchen, Flying Pan, Udonya, Piatto), Cultural Center, and Ovenstory.

References

External links

Sungsimdang online purchases (Korean)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sungsimdang Companies established in 1956 Companies based in Daejeon Restaurants in South Korea Bakeries of South Korea South Korean brands