Choose 부침가루, buchimgaru, when your recipe calls for Korean savory pancake mix. Choose 튀김가루, twigimgaru, when it calls for a frying or tempura-style batter mix. Both are prepared mixes, so check their ingredients and directions rather than treating either bag as plain flour.
Sempio's Vegetable Pancake Mix is formulated for Korean pancakes, while its Crispy Tempura Batter Mix is intended for a thin coating on deep-fried food. The cooking method in your recipe is the most useful first clue at the shelf.
Buchimgaru is a savory pancake shortcut
Buchimgaru gives you a premixed base for dishes in which a pancake batter holds the other ingredients together. You still need to read the recipe for its vegetables, seafood or other additions and its liquid measurements.
The word “pancake” can be ambiguous on an English shelf label. Look for the Korean name and a savory serving example instead of assuming that any pancake mix is the right product. If the package is for sweet breakfast pancakes or a different filled snack, return to the recipe's exact ingredient name before buying.
Prepared mixes can already contain seasonings. Sempio's pancake-mix page lists wheat flour together with salt, onion powder, garlic powder, white pepper, baking powder, monosodium glutamate and turmeric. That example explains why replacing plain flour with a premix changes more than the name of the ingredient. It does not establish the recipe for every brand. Product ingredient list
Twigimgaru is a batter-coating option
Twigimgaru is the label to look for when a recipe asks for Korean frying mix. Follow that mix's directions for the coating and liquid rather than borrowing measurements from a pancake mix.
For comparison, Sempio's tempura mix lists wheat flour, salt, white pepper, corn starch, baking powder and monosodium glutamate. Several ingredients overlap with its pancake mix, while others differ. This is a useful side-by-side label comparison, but it does not reveal the quantities or establish a universal starch ratio. Tempura-mix ingredient list
Avoid choosing only by a front-label promise such as “crispy.” Both mixes may use texture language in their descriptions. The intended cooking method and recipe directions tell you more about which bag to buy.
A shelf-side decision guide
| What your recipe asks for | Start with | Check before using |
|---|---|---|
| Korean savory pancake mix | 부침가루, buchimgaru | Added seasonings and liquid measurements |
| Frying or tempura batter mix | 튀김가루, twigimgaru | Coating method and preparation directions |
| Plain wheat flour | 밀가루, milgaru | Whether the recipe provides its own seasonings |
| A blend of pancake and frying mixes | The two named products | The recipe's stated proportions |
| A specific packaged mix | The exact product where possible | The full name, rather than a similar package image |
Useful additional words are 원재료명, ingredients, and 조리방법, preparation instructions. Keep these two sections visible if you save a package photo for later.
Can one mix work in the other's dish?
The categories guide shopping, but they are not exclusive cooking rules. Sempio's kimchi-jeon newsletter, which includes English and Korean text, suggests its tempura batter mix for kimchi pancakes. That is an example of a manufacturer recommending a crossover use.
It is more useful to follow a recipe that intentionally uses the other mix than to assume an equal-quantity substitution will behave identically. Look for its liquid amounts and seasonings. A recipe designed for plain flour also needs separate consideration because a packaged mix may already contribute seasoning.
Make one complete pancake shopping list
Imagine your chosen recipe calls for pancake mix, vegetables and a dipping sauce. Put each on the list separately. “Buy buchimgaru” is only the batter portion of the plan; it does not tell you which vegetables, oil or sauce ingredients you already have.
Before buying the larger bag, work out how many batches you actually intend to make using the quantities in your recipe. Compare package sizes on that basis, and follow the package's storage directions. A smaller bag can be the more practical first choice when you are trying a dish once.
If dietary requirements affect your choice, use the current ingredients and allergen statement on the actual product. The Korean names identify the mix's purpose, not a guarantee about its formulation.
Sources checked October 13, 2026. Ingredient comparisons refer only to the linked products; this guide does not claim a universal formula or a tested substitution ratio.