[Product Review] A Popcorn True to Its Basics... Daesang's Ambitious 'Miwon Salt Flavor Popcorn'

The First Snack Product in Daesang History
Developed After 53 Tests... Finding the Optimal Flavor Combination
Popular for Its Faithful Basic Taste

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Saeng-hye] It has already been almost a year since people started enjoying the 'stay-at-home' lifestyle due to the impact of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). Meals can be managed with home meal replacements (HMR) and delivery food, and friends can meet at their own homes, but spending a whole year without even going to a movie theater once does leave a bittersweet feeling.

While looking for snacks to enjoy with Netflix at the convenience store GS25, something unusual caught my eye. It was definitely a snack shelf, but I saw the words 'Miwon Mat Salt.' The packaging was indeed the familiar Mat Salt packaging. 'What kind of salt is that big... Did it get placed in the wrong spot?' I wondered, but then the word 'Popcorn' caught my eye. A combination of Miwon Mat Salt and popcorn? Tilting my head in curiosity, I put a bag into my shopping basket.

When I got home, I started a TV show and opened the Miwon Mat Salt popcorn. The simple yet impactful snack packaging was not only interesting but even cute. My mother, born in the 1950s, was startled when she saw the snack bag but soon became delighted. For reference, Daesang’s seasoning 'Miwon' is the first domestically produced seasoning in Korea, launched in 1956.

As soon as I opened the popcorn, the strong savory aroma instantly lifted my mood. The first thought after tasting it was that it wasn’t salty, which was a relief. Given the images of Miwon and Mat Salt, I was worried it might be too strong or stimulating, but it was the most basic and faithful flavor of any popcorn I’ve tried. The secret lies in relentless testing. Daesang, a seasoning and sauce specialist company, released this product for the first time in 64 years and put great effort into it, conducting 53 sample tests with GS25. In particular, they focused on finding the golden ratio blend of regular salt and Miwon Mat Salt used for popcorn seasoning.

Another concern was about potential harm to the human body. Some people worry, "What if it’s not good for health because it feels like it has added seasoning?" In fact, in the early 1990s, there was controversy over the harmfulness of MSG (monosodium glutamate), a flavor enhancer. However, in 2016, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety completely eliminated the term ‘chemically synthesized additives’ from the classification of food additives, ending the controversy over MSG’s harmfulness.

The non-stimulating and cute Miwon Mat Salt popcorn seems to be a useful snack not only when watching movies or dramas at home but also for 'chacnic' (picnics enjoyed in the car) and 'chabak' (car camping). The actual response has been positive. According to GS25, sales from October 8 to 10 increased by about 588.1% compared to the first three days after launch (October 3 to 5).

◆ You must try it

#Stay-at-home people enjoying Netflix

◆ One-line impression

#Cute and fun popcorn faithful to the basics

◆ Price

1,500 won

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.