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Hobak Jeon courtesy to Sung Sikyung Hyung's Mother — This is how you make Hobak Jeon!

In every Korean household, there is no such thing as a “standard” recipe. And here we’re featuring Hobak Jeon—just like any homemade banchan, bokkeum, or guk, every eomma and ahjumma has a secret touch that makes their version iconic.

While I usually stick to the classic zucchini pancake recipe or Mama Cho’s style, today I’m sharing a version that is truly unique on its own: crispy yet soft, and perfectly highlights every element in the pancake.

I am deeply honored to share this, as it stems from a truly special collaboration. This pancake recipe is courtesy of the mother of Sung Si-Kyung—the “King of Ballads” himself! We all know him for having the smoothest voice in South Korea and his incredible work as a television host, but today, we’re celebrating the flavors he grew up with.

Because this recipe is so special to him and his family, I wanted to dedicate my platform to making sure everyone gets a taste of this home-cooked magic, and deservingly so. It is super easy to follow and just too good to keep to myself. You need to try this ASAP!

Ingredients You’ll Need

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Ae Hobak or Korean Zucchini – Light green, slender, soft, mild, and slightly sweeter than the zucchini in the US. This is a great add-on to dishes like doenjang jjigae, sujebi, gochujang jjigae, and the like.
Potato – For the contrasting crispness and savory flavor to the pancake, although he didn’t use a lot to keep the spotlight on the zucchini.
Onion – The fresh and sweet addition to the jeon.
Korean Pepper – For the kick that really made a difference to the pancake.
Salt – The recipe uses only a dash of salt, as the vegetables are all tasty on their own. Pepper is optional.
Buchimgaru or Korean Pancake Mix – This is a pre-seasoned and ready-to-use mix to make batter for pancakes. You can use flour in place of it.
Potato Starch – This will make the jeon crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.

How to Make Sung Si Kyung’s Mom’s Hobak Jeon?

Slice the zucchini and potatoes into julienne. You can use a mandolin to make it easier, but be careful as you handle it. Slice the onion and peppers thinly. Make sure to use gloves or wash thoroughly afterwards so that it doesn’t burn when you touch yourself or your kids. These are spicy!

Combine the vegetables and season with salt to sweat it out

In a bowl, combine zucchini, potatoes, onion, and pepper. Season with a bit of salt, mix again, and leave for a couple of minutes for the vegetables to release their water content. There’s no need to drain this because the sweat and oil later will hydrate the dry batter and make the pancake come together. No need to add egg as well!

Add Korean pancake mix and potato starch to the vegetables and mix it well

Add 2:1 ratio of buchimgae and potato starch, then mix this well using your hand to ensure that every piece is coated by the batter. He said, the point is not to use too much flour so you can actually taste the zucchini.

Place the pan on medium heat, add a bit of oil, and once the pan is hot enough, spread the batter out. Shape it well and flatten it out, as you won’t be able to reshape it later on. Add a round of oil to the edge of the pan.

Cook each side for a couple of minutes. Before flipping, flatten it out, then check the bottom to see if it has come together and is golden brown. Try to swirl the pancake around to gently unstick them. This indicates that it’s ready to be flipped. Once flipped, add another round of oil to the edges to crisp it up.

Once golden and crispy on both sides, serve hot and enjoy!

Serving Hobak Jeon

This type of Hobak Jeon is perfect for adults, because there isn’t too much batter, and you can straight up taste the actual flavor of each vegetable. It’s great, especially when the zucchini is in season! I also find this is a relatively healthy recipe with the minimal use of oil and flour.

You can serve this with cho ganjang as a dipping sauce, if you like, although we didn’t find it necessary. As long as your pancake is well seasoned, it’s good to go!

Additionally, any Korean pancake is best served with Makgeolli or fermented rice wine. Si-kyung hyung-nim has his very own brand—Kyungtakju 12 Degrees! It’s rich and creamy, yet you won’t really taste the alcohol, perfectly pairing with the delicious pancake!

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Make sure to leave a rating, a comment, or tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Tiktok when you chop them up! Yeobosayo!

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