Food
Watermelon: Everything You Need to Know in One Article — From Variety Comparisons to Milk Ice Cream
How to Choose Apple, Black Mango, and Mudeungsan, and the Recipe That’s Taken Social Media by Storm
Hello!
These days, watermelons seem to pop up everywhere I look on social media, so I decided to put together a comprehensive roundup.
To get straight to the point: Everything You Need to Know About Watermelons This Summer in One Article — We have everything from choosing a variety to whole watermelon milk ice cream.
Whether you're trying Korean watermelon for the first time or you buy it every year but still find choosing one a bit of a gamble, just take a look at the chart.
🍉 Variety Comparison — Start by Deciding What to Buy
Watermelons at Korean supermarkets aren't just red anymore.
Since varieties of different sizes, colors, and sugar content compete on the shelves every summer, I’ve put together a table to summarize them all at a glance.
Variety | Sugar Content (Brix) | Dimensions and Weight | For people like this |
|---|---|---|---|
Regular Watermelon | 10–11 | 5–8 kg | Family meals, festive dishes, or meals for guests—it’s a safe choice no matter what you make. |
Apple Watermelon | Similar to the general course | 2 kg or less | Single-person households — The skin is thin, so you can peel and eat it like an apple |
Black Mango Watermelon | Around 12 | 2–5 kg (varies by growing region) | Yellow flesh + high sugar content, plus the fun of taking photos |
Black-skinned Watermelon | 12 or older | Medium-sized, with a completely black shell | Crisp Texture, Gift-Worthy Appearance |
Mudeungsan Watermelon | 11–12 | Large and Rare | "Purang-i," a Gwangju specialty originally offered as a tribute to the king |
Seedless Watermelon | Variations by Variety | Standard Type | Everyone who finds it a hassle to spit out seeds |
Sugar content levels are general guidelines for each variety and may vary depending on the individual fruit and its origin.
The label on the watermelon at the supermarket Sugar Content Selection StickerIf you have a Brix reading, that's the most accurate.
12 BrixTo give you an idea of how sweet it is—it’s definitely sweet enough to make you say, “Whoa, that’s sweet!” compared to a regular watermelon.
Yellow-fleshed watermelons tend to be slightly sweeter than red-fleshed ones, and seedless watermelons are triploid—meaning they don’t produce seeds due to the principles of hybridization, not because any additives have been used.
(Yes, it's safe to eat.)
✨ How to Choose — Tap It Last
I look at the stripes and the belly button before I tap it. — This is the standard procedure in the retail industry these days.
Since sound is an advanced skill that requires a feel for the table, you'll have a higher win rate if you start by checking with your eyes.
Areas to Check | Choose something like this | Why |
|---|---|---|
Stripes | The boundaries are distinct and flow seamlessly | A Sign of Ripeness — Distinct Stripesis the top priority |
Belly button (opposite the nipple) | Small, cream-colored to orange-colored | If they grow too large, the nutrients may be spread out, resulting in lower sugar content. |
Tip | Short, with a faint hint of blue remaining | A sign of freshness indicating it was harvested recently |
Weight | If they're the same size, choose the heavier one | Meaning "full of moisture and flesh" |
Sound | It makes a clear, "thump-thump" sound when tapped | For final verification — If you feel the vibration in your hand, you've passed |
Striped borders and navel size: Initial visual inspection
If the fine line in the middle of the black stripes is so distinct that you can feel it, there’s a good chance the watermelon was grown in a mountainous region with a large daily temperature range.
It means that the sugars produced during the day are stored up bit by bit in the watermelon overnight—this is a real tip!
🔪 Basic Grooming — Two Cuts That Take Just 3 Minutes
There's no need to overcomplicate preparing watermelon.
Whether they're diced or cut into sticks, they go well with any way of eating them.
Wash the peel under running water — Wash it first before cutting to prevent the knife from transferring bacteria from the peel to the flesh.
After cutting it in half, score the cut surface in a grid pattern and scoop it out with a spoon or knife, Diced Cubes Done.
If you turn half a melon upside down and cut it vertically and horizontally, the rind becomes a handle. Stick Cut — Since you can eat it without getting your hands wet, it’s highly recommended for kids and home parties.
Stick-cut fruit you can eat right off the stem—just cut it twice in a crisscross pattern and you're done
🥛 Whole Watermelon Milk Ice Cream — Algorithm Conqueror
That recipe that took social media by storm this summer: pour milk over watermelon.
(Yes, it really is milk.) This is the person who racked up millions of views on YouTube and sparked a flood of comments like, "I picked up the ingredients on my way home from work."
Cut the watermelon in half and scoop out the flesh Only some Scoop it out—the key is to leave the flesh on the sides of the bowl.
Place it in the freezer as is and freeze it whole until the flesh is completely frozen.
Take it out and Cold MilkPour it in, and stir while scraping the frozen fruit with a spoon.
It's ready when the ice crystals blend with the milk to form a sherbet-like ice cream texture.
It’s made with just two ingredients—watermelon and milk—and no additives, but the process of scraping it, just like making iron-plate ice cream, is fun in itself.
It looks like it might not work, but it really does!
Fruit Pulp + Milk = Instant Sherbet Made with a Spoon
🍧 Watermelon Fruit Punch — The Classic National Recipe
As long as you know the right proportions, you can't go wrong with hwachae.
I'll summarize based on the basic form.
Ingredients | Basic Servings (2–3 people) | Note |
|---|---|---|
Watermelon flesh | a quarter of a can | Use a scoop to shape it into a round ball to complete the look |
Milk | 400–500 ml | Replace carbonated drinks with soda |
Condensed milk or honey | 2 tablespoons | If the Watermelon Is Sweet, Cut It |
Fruit on the Side | As you like | Kiwi, blueberries, and peaches make a great color combination. |
Here's one of the most important tips—instead of ice, Watermelon Juice on IceFreeze it beforehand and add it.
Regular ice makes the fruit punch taste bland as it melts, but watermelon ice becomes more flavorful the more it melts.
That's a bit of a foul!
Scoop Watermelon Balls + Milk-Based, Classic Hwachae
🧊 Juice, Lemonade, and Ice Cubes — A Complete Guide to Using Up the Leftovers
Method | Like this | Suitable situations |
|---|---|---|
Watermelon Juice | Just blend the fruit and ice—no sugar needed | As a breakfast substitute, after a workout |
Watermelon Ade | Chopped Watermelon + Sparkling Water + Lemon Juice | Drinks for Guests, Café Vibes |
Frozen Cubes | Freezing Diced Cubes on a Tray | Keep Smoothie and Ade Bases on Hand |
Seasoned Peels | Slice only the white parts thinly for a tangy flavor | Zero-Waste Side Dishes with No Waste |
Juice, Lemonade, and Frozen Cubes: Three Ways to Use Up Leftover Watermelon
💰 Price and Nutrition — A Quick Look at the Numbers
In 2026, watermelon prices fluctuated due to an early heat wave.
In May, the average per call was at one point 30,000 wonIt exceeded that level, and in June, it fell to the 24,000–26,000 won range.
30,000 won?
For a whole watermelon?
— That’s what I’d think, but since things usually stabilize once shipment volumes increase, the key is to check the timing.
Real-time quotes are KAMIS Agricultural Product Distribution InformationYou can see it here.
It is low in calories—about 31 kcal per 100 g, with about 91% water content.
It's known as a fruit rich in lycopene and potassium, so there's nothing better for staying hydrated in the summer.
Korean watermelons, sold by the whole fruit, see their prices fluctuate with the seasons
Storing Leftover Watermelon — Plastic Wrap Will Let You Down
A rap should be enough, right? — This is where most people slip.
Experimental results show that covering a cut surface with plastic wrap creates a high-humidity, airtight environment, causing surface bacteria to exceed food poisoning thresholds within two days and multiply by more than 3,000 times compared to the initial level within a week.
A Sealed Container Instead of Plastic Wrap — The Right Way to Store Cut Watermelon
Finally, here’s a checklist for grocery shopping—just follow these steps.
Choosing a Variety — Go for "Apple" if you're on your own; choose "Black Mango" or "Black Skin" for a sweeter taste
Clear stripes + a small, yellow belly button + it feels heavy for its size
Wash the skin before cutting; dice or cut into sticks
If there are leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and consume within 2–3 days.
You should definitely try the whole watermelon milk ice cream at least once—highly recommended!!
Choosing a watermelon is half about having a good eye and half about having creative ideas—this summer, I’ve got both covered.