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The exact origins of Pepero Day (빼빼로 데이) are unclear, with no one story confirming how it truly began. One popular tale says it started among high school girls in the 1980s in the city of Busan, who exchanged Pepero sticks as a playful wish to become as slender as the treat itself. Another theory suggests that the date and the snack’s shape inspired the idea, with the “11.11” visual matching the slim, stick-like shape of Pepero.
While it’s unclear how much of these stories are true, Lotte, the company behind Pepero, certainly helped popularize the holiday by promoting it as a day for friends, family, and couples to share the snack. Over the years, Pepero Day has evolved into a national celebration, complete with special flavors and elaborate gift sets, and has become one of South Korea’s most beloved modern traditions.
