Shall We Travel Back to the Old Taste... Samjin Eomuk Launches New Product Targeting Retro Trend

Five Types of Handmade Fish Cake Rice Balls Stimulate Nostalgia
"Modern Reinterpretation of Traditional Fish Cake Flavor"

K-fish cake brand Samjin Eomuk (CEO Park Yong-jun) has launched five types of traditional handmade fish cake “Handmade Fish Cake Rice Balls” in response to the ongoing retro craze.

Following the recent “Newtro” trend, which combines familiarity and freshness, the “Retro” trend that evokes nostalgic feelings from the past continues. The food industry is summoning retro styles by releasing new products that reinterpret traditional items to stimulate nostalgia among existing consumers and provide freshness to Generation Z, or by renewing existing product packaging in vintage styles.

Reflecting this industry trend, Samjin Eomuk has released five types of “Handmade Fish Cake Rice Balls,” which modernly reinterpret the taste of traditional fish cakes that were once handcrafted one by one.

Samjin Eomuk’s “Handmade Fish Cake Rice Balls” are premium handmade fish cakes carefully crafted by master fish cake artisans who have long manufactured fish cakes at the handmade workshop inside Samjin Eomuk’s Yeongdo flagship store. They embody the deep traditional taste of Samjin Eomuk’s 71-year history.

Moreover, they are made with the highest grade pollock surimi as a base, filled with ingredients that harmonize best with fish cakes such as pollock roe, smoked duck, and eggs, allowing consumers to experience the unique mildness of traditional fish cakes along with diverse and exotic flavors.

The “Handmade Fish Cake Rice Balls” come in five varieties: “Duck and Chive,” “Perilla Leaf Sundae,” “Pollock Roe Butter Potato,” “Egg,” and “Garlic Scape Bacon.” The “Duck and Chive” contains more than 18% mild smoked duck, delivering a rich umami flavor, complemented by fresh chives for a crunchy texture. The “Perilla Leaf Sundae” offers a chewy texture of sundae (Korean blood sausage) and the distinctive aroma of perilla leaves. The “Pollock Roe Butter Potato” combines fluffy potatoes, salty pollock roe, and smooth butter for a richer taste experience.

Additionally, the “Egg” flavor features a deeper savory and mild taste from the combination of egg and fish cake, while the “Garlic Scape Bacon” pairs smoky bacon with pungent garlic scapes, creating an addictive flavor that will captivate consumers.

This new product is exclusively available at Samjin Eomuk’s Yeongdo flagship store, with a set of all five varieties also offered, making it a special souvenir perfect for commemorating a trip to Busan. To celebrate the launch, Samjin Eomuk will hold a 20% discount promotion on the purchase of the five-piece Handmade Fish Cake Rice Ball set.

Kim Tae-sung, head of Samjin Eomuk’s CX division, said, “In line with the ongoing ‘Retro craze,’ we have released a product that modernly reinterprets the taste of traditional fish cakes from the past. We hope many people will reminisce about their memories and experience richer new flavors through this new product.”

Samjin Eomuk was selected as the number one brand in the seafood processed food category for four consecutive years in the 26th Korea Brand Power Index (K-BPI). It also received the “Minister of SMEs and Startups Award” at the “2024 Korea 100-Year Enterprise” hosted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, recognizing its tradition and history.

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