
It’s been a little more than a year since we reported on ttongsul, or Korean feces wine. And while many of our readers enjoyed sampling the beverage vicariously through the five victims brave young ladies we recruited for the taste test, others took us to task for not having our regular staff knock back a glass of dookie-liqueur.
In an attempt at penance, we traveled to Korea to snack on poo-shaped cakes.
Like a bad case of diarrhea, the flow of BM-related stories from Korea doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. For those looking for pottie-related fun but lacking the time to visit the country’s toilet-theme park, a quick trip to Seoul’s Insadong neighborhood will provide you with the opportunity to munch on poo-shaped snacks.
The stand we visited is located in a shopping center called Ssamzie-gil, appropriate as the mall’s name is only pronounceable by Westerners when straining themselves on the toilet. We found our poo cake vendor right inside the entrance, and while there wasn’t a line of people waiting to buy the uniquely-shaped sweets, there was nevertheless a steady stream of customers. As a matter of fact, the young man running the stand was so busy that he didn’t even have enough time to handle all of the multiple cakes he was cooking at once, as we noticed a few that had been on the grill too long and become hard and dry.
Thankfully, the snacks don’t contain any actual feces. They’re almost exactly the same as taiyaki, the fish-shaped sweet bean cakes sold in Japan and elsewhere in Asia. They even smell the same, with a soft, sweet aroma that was all the more enticing wafting through Seoul’s chilly winter air.
But whereas taiyaki look like cute little fishies, the poo cakes look like, well, poo. Specifically illustrated poo, with the distinctive coil shape in which the substance is always depicted in Asian comic books.
▼ If it makes you feel better, you could imagine they’re shaped like dollops of whipped cream.
With our purchase paid for, we broke off a steaming piece and placed it between our lips. The cakes are filled with lumpy sweet bean paste, and while its shape made us feel a little weird eating it, it tasted just as good as any other similar snack we’d eaten.
It turned out Ssamzie-gil wasn’t done showering us with feces-inspired fun yet, though, as among the mall’s multiple mascots you’ll find the character Dongchimee. Dongchimee seems to hail from the kimokawaii or “so gross it’s supposed to be cute” school of design that sometimes rears its head in Japan and Korea, as the character has either a poo-shaped hairstyle or a straight up turd on top of his (her? its?) head, along with a perpetually runny nose.
▼ There also seems to be some sort of exposed nipple thing going on, along with cheeks that look like someone just slapped the hell out of poor Dongchimee.
Despite Dongchimee’s less than stunning looks, the character is popular enough that it’s featured, along with the other mascots of Ssamzie-gil, at a children’s theme park in Heiri Art Village, located in the suburbs of Seoul. While there, you can even pick up stuffed versions of the character. The plush dolls are available in three sizes, and removing a flap over the character’s posterior revels the whimsical surprise of a half-formed log ready to be played with before Dongchimee decides to pinch it off. Of course.
▼ Bringing us to this story’s figurative and literal end.
Related: mydolls, i like daiki
Top image: RocketNews24
Insert images: RocketNews24, mydolls
[ Read in Japanese ]





Who’s ready to make poop cakes with this Japanese cooking gadget?【Photos】
This beautiful New Year’s cake is a tasty combination of Japanese lucky symbols!
We raid the new Final Fantasy restaurant on our quest for drinks, desserts, and blue ramen
Avengers assemble…for dessert! Marvel superheroes become cute and tasty cakes in Japan
3-D Mickey and Minnie Cakes are Too Cute to Eat!
Mr. Sato takes a walk on Tokyo’s American-style street to get some American/Japanese ice cream
The Japan Burger Championship 2026 in Yokohama next month is the ultimate battle of the beef
Japan’s real-world Pokémon hot spring’s first photos are here![Photos]
Same name tops lists of most popular dog and cat names in Japan, and there’s probably a reason why
Tokyo’s insane Garlic Ramen is a meal, and an aroma, you’ll never forget[Taste test]
Sushi Pizza surprises diners in one of the best food destinations in Japan
133-year-old Japanese company’s cookies go beyond matcha with dashi and shichimi flavors
Two new Sailor Moon art manhole covers are coming to Usagi’s real-world Tokyo neighborhood
Tokyo restaurant offers lunches for less than 1 U.S. cent…if you’re good enough at rock-paper-scissors
Krispy Kreme releases new limited-edition fox doughnuts at only four stores in Japan
Tokyo’s new extra-expensive ramen restaurant is dividing opinions, so we tried a bowl
Gundam teams up with 300-year-old daruma maker for wood-carved anime mecha figures[Photos]
Japanese temple burns to the ground, fire burning inside for 1,200 years unharmed
Japan’s instant ramen snack theme park features an athletic course even adults can enjoy
Krispy Kreme Japan is bringing two special donuts to the most-forgotten big city in the country
Pizza Hut Japan’s drinkable curry pizza is here – Is it all we dreamed it would be?[Taste test]
Japan’s izakaya pubs closing at record pace, failing to attract foreign tourists
Tokyo’s life-size Gundam anime mecha statue will be removed this summer
The average age of Japan’s hikikomori shut-ins is getting older, survey shows
Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home
Ichiraku Ramen-inspired ramen sets from Naruto anime pay homage to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura
Kanji ice cream becomes a sell-out hit in Japan
Japan’s new Pokémon jackets give you the look and powers of the Kanto starter trio
Japan now has gyoza doughnuts, and they taste like no other doughnut we’ve tried before
Studio Ghibli releases new anime keychains that are like miniature figurines
Japan has a new cute and clever sunblock for cat lovers
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Mr. Sato compares the new milk cream Hokkaido cheese steamed cake to the classic version
Suica Penguin now a cake — See his face transform as you eat!
We go crazy for 500 yen all-you-can-eat sweets and snacks at Tokyo Dagashi Bar
Celebrate your oshi’s birthday in style with this fully customisable cake
Tokyo hotel celebrates Halloween with “bloodstained” cake and chocolate that looks like turds
This Christmas you can celebrate by putting a powdered Christmas cake on your rice in Japan
These adorable animal cakes may be too cute to eat, but we’ll still try!【Photos】
A visit to Japan’s Kirby Cafe to eat the Kirby car cake and more!【Photos】
New Pokémon cakes let you eat your way through Pikachu and all the Eevee evolutions
Suicide cakes – Sweets to die for
You can assemble a well-balanced team of Pokémon, them eat them, thanks to Japanese cake chain
You can now eat this anime girl who’s an anthropomorphized dessert in real-life Tokyo
You’ll feel guilty about more than just the calories when you eat this Rilakkuma cake
Smash & Eat: We try a playful Korean sweet you have to hit with a hammer to enjoy
We try Japanese desserts made with bits of tuna. What could go wrong? 【Taste test】
Tokyo cafe’s Sailor Moon cakes will have your mouth watering whether you’re an anime fan or not
Japan’s gorgeous Mt. Fuji chocolate cake lets you eat the mountain instead of climb it【Photos】