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How a Korean street food-inspired vendor started their pop-up and popped off
Photo of Ho Tok's signature Korean pocket pancakes.
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Courtesy Lisa Park
)
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Ho Tok Korean Pocket Pancake is Korean-inspired street food with a California twist
Guests: Leo Jeong, chef-owner of HO TOK Korean Pocket Pancake, a Korean-inspired street food pop-up, and Lisa Park, co-owner of HO TOK Korean Pocket Pancake.
Leo Jeong, chef-owner of Ho Tok Korean Pocket Pancake, originally started their pop-up as a way to bring a California take to Korean street food. Their spin on Hotteok, a pancake filled with fillings like bulgogi or chicken, has been popular with customers and allowed him to make vending his full-time job.
About the owners
Photo of Lisa Park (L) and Leo Jeong (R).
(
Courtesy Lisa Park
)
Jeong, along with his wife and co-owner Lisa Park, had quite the journey that led them to open a pop-up. The couple had been in a long-distance relationship, with Park in Canada and Jeong in California. They tied the knot about a year and a half ago, and cite their months-long IVF treatment journey as an inspiring force for their cooking.
For six months, they cooked extensively together, with their favorite dish being traditional Korean Hotteok. This led Jeong to eventually conceptualize the idea for Ho Tok as a pop-up, bringing their love of street food to folks in Southern California.
Jeong and Park sat down with Austin Cross, who hosts AirTalk every Friday, to share their story, and how they put a California spin on the Korean food they love.
What makes for the ideal Ho Tok experience?
The couple noted that they have seen the interest in Korean food grow over the years alongside the surge in popularity of K-pop music and media like K-Pop Demon Hunters, although most folks tend not to be familiar with the culture's cuisine.
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So they typically run through the basics with new customers, explaining how their pancake dough is made through a 10-hour fermentation process, and then giving a rundown of each filling option.
At that point, they let customer customize as they'd like, so they can best enjoy their handheld treat while they walk around any street market they're vending at that day.
Pop-up details
- Their first attempt began at Tustin Farmers Market in October 2025, with more than a dozen folks from his local church coming by to support. Since then, they have been vending at places like 626 Night Market and the Culver City Farmers Market.
- Along with their Ho Tok, they’ve also been selling more traditional items like kimbap and fusion items like their takes on burritos and hot dogs.
Menu items we tried
- Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef) Ho Tok
- Jeyuk (Spicy Pork) Ho Tok
- Dakgalbi (Spicy Chicken) Ho Tok
How to visit
- Schedule: every Tuesday at the Culver's City Farmers Market; every Wednesday at the Cedars Sinai Farmers’ Market; check Ho Tok Korean Pocket Pancake’s Instagram for more details.
- Cost: A two-piece Ho Tok order costs $14.
What should we try next?
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