August is the peak of vacation season that attracts the largest number of summer visitors. Sadly, due to COVID-19, this year has made it difficult to enjoy a summer of partying, with many opting to seek out quieter destinations within Korea instead. Operated by SPC Samlip, Gapyeong Service Area is a hub of activity for vacationers each year. In particular, it has undergone a complete renovation to positive responses ahead of the summer vacation season. In this article, we introduce the new and improved Gapyeong Service Area as it continues to offer comfort and fond memories to visitors who are fatigued from the summer heat.。
Introductory Video for SPC Samlip’s Newly Renovated Gapyeong Service Area
Take a Break in Comfort at the Improved Gapyeong Service Area!
View of Gapyeong Service Area
Connecting the Seoul Metropolitan Area and Gangwon Province, the Seoul-Yangyang Expressway brings visitors to Gapyeong Service Area, a rest stop operated by SPC Samlip. Boasting outstanding convenience facilities and sizeable grounds, Gapyeong Service Area is among the top service areas across the country in terms of sales. Each year, around 10 million visitors use the rest area. In particular, Gapyeong Service Area already has a reputation as a unique stop for frequent travelers on the expressway, as it offers SPC Group’s numerous popular brands in one place, including Paris Baguette, Dunkin, Baskin Robbins, Pascucci, Bizeun and Jamba Juice.
Samlip House, Designed with the Motif of a Hopang Steamer
SPC Samlip has renovated Gapyeong Service Area in order to enhance customer convenience in time for vacation season. First of all, it added to the uniqueness of the snack corner of its Chuncheon-facing section by constructing Samlip House< strong>, which was designed based on the motif of a Hopang steamer. This new facility offers premium handmade baked goods that are modern interpretations of SPC Samlip’s longstanding products such as “Samlip Hopang” and “Cream Bread,” evoking a sense of nostalgia while presenting trendy and luxurious flavors. We’ll return to introduce the signature menu items of Gapyeong Service Area’s Samlip House in a moment.
Newly Remodeled Pascucci and Dunkin Donuts Stores at Gapyeong Service Area
The existing Pascucci and Dunkin stores have also received a new facelift for a more elegant and clean-cut design, while on the Chuncheon-facing side, a new Paris Baguette location has opened for customers. In addition, a variety of dining brands have opened new stores at the rest stop to sate the hunger of traveling vacationers, such as Samjin Amook, Hotteoktang, Sinjeon Tteok-bokki, Teacher Kim and Lotteria (Seoul-facing side). SPC Samlip also renovated all rest areas such as the restrooms and outdoor terraces to ensure that customers are able to take a break in comfort, while installing air purifier and sterilizer systems to create a pleasant and hygienic environment.
Gapyeong Service Area’s Renovated Outdoor Terrace for a Pleasant Environment
Unique Flavors Only Available at Gapyeong Service Area
“Fresh Cream Bread” and “Fabled Hopang” Available at Samlip House
Established as a new iconic landmark of Gapyeong Service Area, Samlip House offers signature menu items including those introduced above. First, “Midam Hopang” is a premium Hopang made with a bun created by kneading Korean rice flour and Isigny butter and maturing the dough at a low temperature for 12 hours, then filling the bun to the brim with domestically cultivated ingredients. It is sold in three variations: Midam of Light Flavors, which uses 100% domestically cultivated sweet beans; Meat Medley, filled with Korean meat and vegetables; and Chili Brown, whose spicy chili japchae presents an intriguing flavor. A reinterpretation of SPC Samlip’s “Cream Bread,” the new “Fresh Cream Bread” is made by filling a soft bun made using 100% milk with handmade fresh cream matured at the low temperature of 5℃ with added craft cream cheese. It is also sold in three variations: Creamy Breeze, containing fresh handmade cream; Jeju Matcha Green, containing matcha cream and sweet bean paste produced in Jeju; and Milky Cloud, combining fresh handmade cream and sweet bean paste. The “Fresh Cream Bread” is made fresh at the store each morning to offer the freshest eating experience.
Paris Baguette’s “Gapyeong Well-Met Sandwich” (Gapyeong Matnam Sand), Baked Freshly Everyday
Paris Baguette’s Gapyeong Service Area (Chuncheon-facing side) store offers limited edition products that have been developed using pine nuts, which are Gapyeong’s local specialty. “Gapyeong Well-Met Sandwich” (“Gapyeong Matnam Sand” in Korean) presents a sweet and nutty flavor, combining a rich mixture of Isigny buttercream, salted caramel syrup and delicious Gapyeong pine nuts inside a crunchy butter cookie. The surface of the cookie is pressed with a pine cone design that represents Gapyeong to create a refined visual appearance. The cookie sandwich is a popular item among visitors to Gapyeong Service Area, since only a limited amount is made fresh each day. Sold in three sizes of Small (5 pieces), Medium (10 pieces) and Large (15 pieces) inside elegant packaging, “Gapyeong Well-Met Sandwich” is a perfect snack or gift for visitors on the road.
Limited Edition Products Sold Only at Paris Baguette Gapyeong Service Area (Chuncheon-facing Side)
“Gapyeong Pine Nut Donut” is a delicious donut that is filled with both sweet honey and nostalgic memories. On the outside, it is sprinkled with pine nut sugar to maximize its addictive sweetness. “Pine Nut Manju” is a manju that has been filled with whole Gapyeong pine nuts and unsweetened sweet bean paste. Boasting a gentle, light and sweet flavor, it offers an easy snacking option. Meanwhile, those looking for a specialty drink are recommended to try “Pine Nut Peanut Latte,” a delightful peanut latte topped with Gapyeong Pine Nuts.
Bizeun’s “Gapyeong Pine Nut Milk” and Jamba Juice’s “Gapyeong Pine Nut Latte”
SPC Group’s specialty ddeok franchise Bizeun and fruit smoothie franchise Jamba Juice also offer special limited edition menu items that can only be found at Gapyeong Service Area. Bizeun’s “Gapyeong Pine Nut Milk” blends whole Gapyeong pine nuts in milk to create a deep and gentle flavor profile and the appetizing texture of pine nuts in one healthy drink. Jamba Juice’s “Gapyeong Pine Nut Latte” adds whole Gapyeong pine nuts on top of injeolmi-flavored pine nut latte for the ultimate nutty deliciousness. And if you’re in the mood for a unique encounter between a cool smoothie and Gapyeong pine nuts, why not try a “Gapyeong Pine Nut Smoothie”? Adding crispy date chips on top of a smoothie made with Gapyeong pine nuts, it presents a uniquely Korean flavor.
As such, the newly renovated Gapyeong Service Area is winning over the hearts of visitors with greater convenience through improved facilities and its limited edition menu items that abundantly embody local flavors. SPC Group will continue striving to provide customers with more comfortable breaks and fun experiences. We hope that you leave with fond memories at Gapyeong Service Area, which has surpassed its roots as a simple rest stop on the vacation trail to become a tourist destination in itself.
