Subak Hwachae (Korean Watermelon Punch)

This version of hwachae combines juicy watermelon, peaches and frozen blueberries with fizzy Chilsung Cider and a lightly sweetened milk mixture. It’s cold, fruity and refreshing, with no cooking involved.

Hwachae is one of those Korean drinks that’s also kind of a dessert. I had the hwachae pictured below a few years ago at a bar in Hongdae, Seoul. The combination of watermelon, peaches and blueberries tasted so good that it’s the version I usually make at home now.

What is Hwachae?

Hwachae (화채) is a Korean fruit punch traditionally served cold, especially in the warmer months. The name is written with the hanja 花 (flower) and 菜 (vegetable or dish) despite sometimes being mistranslated as “flower water.”

Rather than one specific recipe, hwachae is a whole category of drinks made with fruit and a sweet liquid base. Subak hwachae is the watermelon version. Older versions were made with ingredients like honeyed water, while modern recipes often add lemon-lime soda, milk, or both.

Ingredient notes

• Watermelon — the base of the whole thing. Look for one that’s ripe and sweet, as its flavour really comes through in the finished hwachae. If you have extra watermelon, my Korean-style watermelon juice is a good way to use it up.
• Canned peaches — I like canned peaches in syrup because I can use a bit of that syrup to sweeten the mix, but fresh or frozen peaches work too.
• Frozen blueberries — I use them because they’re part of the fruit combination I really liked at that bar in Seoul. Using them frozen also helps keep the hwachae cold.
• Chilsung Cider (or Sprite) — Chilsung Cider is a popular choice in modern hwachae recipes. Sprite or 7Up are the easiest substitutes outside Korea.
• Milk + sweetened condensed milk — this is what makes it more like a dessert than a fruit salad.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Make sure all your ingredients are refrigerated beforehand so everything is nice and cold.
2. Cut the watermelon in half – you’ll only need one half for this recipe. Scoop the flesh into balls using a melon baller, or cut it into cubes, and set aside. Strain any watermelon juice collected in the shell through a sieve to remove the seeds, then pour it back over the watermelon. Remove any remaining seeds from the watermelon pieces. Transfer about half of the watermelon balls back into the empty watermelon shell.
3. Chop the canned peaches and add them to the watermelon along with 4 tbsp of the peach syrup.
4. Add the frozen blueberries.
5. Pour in the Chilsung Cider, milk and sweetened condensed milk. Mix well.
6. Add ice if you like your hwachae extra cold. Keep in mind that the ice can dilute the drink slightly if it isn’t served straight away.
7. Serve immediately.

Variations

Hwachae changes a lot depending on who’s making it. Some popular variations include:

• Fruit — mango, strawberries, kiwi, dragonfruit or honeydew instead of (or alongside) peaches and blueberries
• Liquid base — strawberry milk instead of plain milk, or Sprite or 7Up instead of Chilsung cider
• Extras — jelly cubes, popping boba, or small rice cake balls (gyeongdan) for texture

Storage

Hwachae is best the day you make it — the soda loses its fizz fast, and the fruit softens as it sits in the liquid. If you do have leftovers, keep them in the fridge for up to a day and stir in a splash of fresh Chilsung Cider or Sprite before serving again to bring back some bubbles.

Emma’s tips

• Chill everything in the fridge beforehand if you can – Warm ingredients melt the ice and dilute the punch fast.
• Strain the watermelon juice well – It’s easy to miss a seed or two and they’re not fun to bite into.
• Save the extra watermelon balls – You won’t fit them all back in the shell once everything’s mixed in so keep the rest for snacking or use them in a juice.