Instead of settling for another year of boring Twix or Skittles, why not give kids their sugar fix the Korean way?

We at KoreAm had the laborious job of digging through the shelves at our neighborhood Korean market and putting these individually-wrapped confections to the ultimate test:

our taste buds. Here are the results:

 

Photo; Spot-Candy-Impact.jpg, Spot-Candy-Halloween2.jpg

 

1. Choco-Pie

For those seriously intent on impressing the neighbors, this smores-like cookie will drown all those little witches and ghouls in the certain delight that only chocolate, marshmallow and soft graham crackers can induce. GRADE: A

 

2. Pepero

Good luck trying to eat just one. When passing out these crunchy, chocolate-dipped sticks, remember the following phrase: “One for you, two for me.” Trust us. GRADE: A+

 

3. Melon candy

Appropriately reminiscent of frozen melon bars, this hard candy will take the kids right back to the hot, lazy days of summer. Not too sweet, but also somewhat forgettable. GRADE: B

 

4. Walnut soft candy

A clean, bite-sized shape. A moderately chewy consistency. A nutty, yet slightly artificial flavor. What’s not to enjoy? Starbursts better watch out. GRADE: B+ 

 

5. Milk caramel candy

We were anxious to try these (there’s a cute cow on the bag!), but upon placing the white Tootsie-roll-like logs into our mouths and taking a bite, we let out a simultaneous “Ew.” Way too sweet and sticky.  GRADE: C+

 

6. Kanchyu

Remember Koala Yummies, the Japanese chocolate-filled cookies shaped like everyone’s favorite Australian marsupial? Well, these are similar but not half as scrumptious. Oh well. New generations won’t know the difference. GRADE: B 

7. Pumpkin candy

This candy does what so many candies do not. It actually tastes like the real thing. But this pumpkin-flavored chewy candy is almost a little too real. Sans the sweet and the spice, this oddly-textured candy disintegrates way too quickly after only a couple of bites and doesn’t exactly scream “winner.” GRADE: C

 

8. Nurungji

These little round hard candies aren’t bad — if you like the taste of burnt sweet rice. Apparently, we do. We can suck on these bad boys all day. GRADE: B+ 

 

9. Ginseng candy

Bleh! Maybe this ginseng-flavored hard candy tickles your halmeoni’s tongue, but for the rest of us? An unpleasant cross between cough-drop and Chinese herbal medicines; don’t be surprised if your front yard is tee-peed after handing these out to the neighborhood kids. GRADE: D

 

10. Chungu chalddeok cookie

A little weird, but surprisingly yummy.

The outside of the snack is crumbly and cookie-like, but the inside has a texture reminiscent of mochi. It’s a winning

combination. GRADE: B+

 

11. Fresh-Pie