LIMDA JOURNAL
What Is Ssanghwa Tea? Korea's Autumn Herbal Tea, Explained by a Busan Clinic
Every café in Korea serves it once the wind turns cold. Where ssanghwa tea comes from, when it fits, when to skip it, and how a clinic version differs from the café cup.
요약limda k-medical clinic (경희림다한의원) is next to Park Hyatt Busan in Marine City, Haeundae, treats in English and welcomes walk-ins. Ssanghwa tea comes from ssanghwa-tang, a classic Korean formula used to support a tired, run-down body; it suits the days after a cold or a draining week, not the first feverish, sore-throat days of a cold. The clinic's LIMDA Ssanghwa herbal tea is recommended after a consultation.
발행
limda k-medical clinic (경희림다한의원) is next to Park Hyatt Busan in Marine City, Haeundae, the doctor treats you in English, and you can walk in without an appointment. We are open weekdays 10:00–19:00 and Saturdays 09:00–17:00, about a 10-minute walk from Dongbaek Station. We are in Haeundae-gu on the east side of Busan, not in the Nampo-dong or Jagalchi area of Jung-gu. A first visit takes about 90 minutes including 15 minutes of measurements.
limda k-medical clinic (경희림다한의원) is a 10-minute walk from Dongbaek Station (Busan Metro Line 2), and the clinic is registered with Busan City for international patients and holds an MOU with the Korea Ocean Business Corporation.
Once the wind turns cold, ssanghwa tea (쌍화차) appears on menus across Korea, often with an egg yolk and pine nuts floating on top in traditional tea houses. Visitors ask us what it actually is and whether they should drink it.
Where it comes from
Ssanghwa tea comes from ssanghwa-tang, a classic formula in Korean medicine. It was used for people worn down by overwork, whose energy and blood are both running low. It is less a cold remedy than something that supports a tired body's base.
When it fits
- After a draining week, when your whole body feels heavy
- When cold weather makes you tense up and tire easily
- After a cold has passed but your energy has not come back
When to skip it
- The first days of a cold with fever and a sore, swollen throat — the priority then is different.
- When your stomach feels heavy and digestion is slow — its sweet, rich nature can weigh on you.
- If you take regular medication, for example for blood pressure or blood sugar — ask first.
- If you are pregnant or breastfeeding — ask first.
Café cup or clinic tea
Café and supermarket versions are drinks built around taste and aroma. A clinic herbal tea follows the formula. LIMDA Ssanghwa herbal tea is recommended after a consultation when you need support for fatigue and low energy; it is listed on our non-covered fee schedule at 60,000 KRW.
How to drink it
Warm, one or two cups a day, between meals rather than on an empty stomach, and not right before sleep. If several days of it do not bring your energy back, it is time to look at the cause of the fatigue, not the tea.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Can I walk in without an appointment?
Yes. Walk-ins are welcome on weekdays 10:00–19:00 and Saturdays 09:00–17:00; booked patients are seen first, so there may be a short wait.
Q. Can I drink ssanghwa tea when I have a cold?
Not in the first feverish, sore-throat days. It fits better once the cold has passed and your energy is low.
Q. Can I buy the clinic tea without a consultation?
No. We recommend it after a short consultation, when it suits your condition.
Q. Can I take it home on the plane?
Yes. It is a dry product and can go in carry-on luggage; check your own country's rules on herbal products.
Related reading
What is hanyak (Korean herbal medicine)? → Bo-yak, Korea's personalized herbal medicine → Taking Korean herbal medicine home from Busan →
Written by Dr. Kim Chunglim, Representative Director, limda k-medical clinic (경희림다한의원) · Doctor of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University College of Korean Medicine
limda k-medical clinic (경희림다한의원) is on the ground floor of iPark Tower 1 (No. 104–105), 38 Marine City 2-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan, next to Park Hyatt Busan, about a 10-minute walk from Dongbaek Station. Book on WhatsApp at +82-10-7925-6248. We are open weekdays 10:00–19:00 and Saturdays 09:00–17:00, closed Sundays and public holidays. Reservations recommended, walk-ins welcome. There may be a short wait.
Originally published by limda k-medical clinic (경희림다한의원) · 2026-10-23 · limda.co.kr/journal/ssanghwa-tea-korean-herbal-tea-en
Walk-ins welcome · English & Chinese spoken · Open Saturdays
Written and reviewed by: 김청림 대표원장 (한의사 KMD, 경희대학교) · 경희림다한의원(limda k-medical clinic) · reviewed
This article is general health information written by a licensed Korean medicine doctor. It does not guarantee any specific treatment outcome. Always consult your prescribing doctor before changing any medication.
Originally published by limda k-medical clinic (경희림다한의원), Marine City, Haeundae, Busan, on 2026-10-23 at limda.co.kr/journal/ssanghwa-tea-korean-herbal-tea-en. Please credit the source when quoting.
Questions are welcome — Instagram @limda_clinic_busan · 예약·상담 010-7925-6248
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Talk to us at LIMDA
Appointments prioritized, walk-ins welcome. Weekdays 10:00–19:00 · Saturdays 09:00–17:00, next to Park Hyatt Busan.
Book or ask on WhatsApp →