Chong Kun Dang Health Launches 'Hong Sam Dangdang,' a New Red Ginseng Brand for Younger Palates

Rising red ginseng consumption among people in their 20s and the Healthy Pleasure trend inspire a snack-style red ginseng brand with the bitterness reduced
Korea's first white peach-flavored, single-function red ginseng jelly... uses patent-pending 3D bitterness-masking technology

Chong Kun Dang Health is targeting office workers aged 25 to 35 with the launch of Hong Sam Dangdang, a new brand designed to make red ginseng as tasty and convenient to enjoy as a snack. Its first product, Energy Switch Red Ginseng Tangly Stick, is an “energy snack-style red ginseng” that combines white peach flavor with a chewy jelly texture.

The new red ginseng brand was launched in response to the “Healthy Pleasure” trend of managing health in an enjoyable way and changing patterns of red ginseng consumption. By preserving red ginseng’s functional benefits while reducing its characteristic bitterness and the inconvenience of taking it, Chong Kun Dang Health is presenting red ginseng—which was often seen as a holiday gift or a health product for middle-aged and older adults—as an everyday health choice for younger consumers.

According to the “Health Functional Food Market Trends and Consumer Survey (2023–2025),” the share of people in their 20s who consumed red ginseng rose from 10.5% in 2024 to 14.2% in 2025. The share who consumed red ginseng on their own also increased from 68.7% in 2023 to 71.8% in 2025, indicating that red ginseng consumption is on the rise among younger generations.

However, red ginseng’s characteristic bitterness and aroma remain barriers to consumption. In the same survey, 30% of respondents cited dissatisfaction with its taste and aroma as reasons for reducing or avoiding red ginseng. In a focus group interview (FGI) conducted by Chong Kun Dang Health, respondents aged 25 to 34 also pointed to its bitter taste, dated brand image, and the way the contents can splatter when taking liquid stick products as inconveniences.

Based on this consumer research, Chong Kun Dang Health chose a jelly format for its new red ginseng brand as an alternative that could address concerns about taste, aroma, and convenience. In the “2025 Health Functional Food Market Trends and Consumer Survey,” satisfaction with the convenience of jelly products was the highest, at 84%. The company also took into account the finding that the share of consumers who had purchased gummy or jelly products roughly doubled, rising from 4.9% in 2021 to 10.4% in 2025.

Reflecting these consumer needs, Chong Kun Dang Health developed Red Ginseng Tangly Stick, a new product in its Energy Switch lineup. In particular, it is the first product in Korea in the “single-function red ginseng jelly” category—made without other functional ingredients and focused solely on red ginseng’s benefits—to feature white peach flavor. Energy Switch conveys the idea of switching on energy in everyday life, while Red Ginseng Tangly Stick sets itself apart from conventional liquid red ginseng sticks as an “energy snack-style red ginseng” with a refreshing peach flavor and chewy jelly texture.

The new product uses a patented, patent-pending “3D gel technology specialized in masking bitterness” to reduce the characteristic bitterness of six-year-old red ginseng concentrate. Chong Kun Dang Health focused on enhancing the overall flavor so that even consumers who dislike the taste and aroma of red ginseng can enjoy it. The jelly format makes it possible to enjoy red ginseng—which people have traditionally taken for their health—as an everyday snack. It also addresses the inconvenience of liquid from conventional stick products leaking or splattering.

The new product, which Chong Kun Dang Health spent about a year developing, also received positive responses in consumer research. In a second in-home use test (HUT) involving 140 people, the new product received an actual consumption satisfaction score of 4.18, higher than the comparison product’s 3.34. Purchase intent was also higher, at 3.85 versus 2.99 for the comparison product.

The product combines taste and convenience with the functional benefits of red ginseng. Each stick contains 7 mg of ginsenosides (the sum of Rg1, Rb1, and Rg3), about three times the minimum daily intake of 2.4 mg set by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for red ginseng health functional foods. With one stick, consumers can conveniently obtain red ginseng’s five functional benefits: boosting immunity, relieving fatigue, improving blood circulation, improving memory, and providing antioxidant effects.

The launch of this snack-style health functional food, which combines great taste with portability, is expected to bring new energy to the red ginseng market.

Through its new brand Hong Sam Dangdang, Chong Kun Dang Health aims to keep pace with younger generations’ consumer trends and lower psychological barriers to trying red ginseng, helping people manage their health more easily and enjoyably.

The new product will first be launched in November through the Chong Kun Dang Health Mall and Chong Kun Dang Health Smart Store. Starting in December, sales are expected to expand to major online retail channels, including Kakao Gift and Coupang.

A Chong Kun Dang Health representative said, “When choosing health functional foods, young consumers increasingly consider not only functionality but also satisfaction with taste and product format. Hong Sam Dangdang reduces concerns about red ginseng’s characteristic bitterness through rigorous quality control and research expertise. We hope busy office workers can conveniently enjoy a tasty way to boost their energy in everyday life.”

The representative added, “We will continue to strengthen the brand’s competitiveness by introducing a range of products that reflect consumers’ preferences and lifestyles.”

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