During the traditional production process of yugwa, a Korean traditional oil-puffed snack, three bacterial isolates, 12, 37, and B1 from waxy rice slurry were characterized by using the molecular techniques, and the quality of the yugwa prepared by using three isolates was examined in relation to physical and sensory properties. Isolates 37 and B1 were identified as Lactobacillus sp. by 16S rDNA sequence analysis, while isolate 12 was as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens by gyrA sequence analysis. Waxy rice inoculated with isolate 12 demonstrated the lowest hardness and the highest peak and [mal viscosity. Yugwa prepared from isolate 12-inoculated waxy rice indicated the lowest hardness and the highest volume expansion, the key characteristics of yugwa. This result presents the possibility for the use of a starter in the commercial production of yugwa and other rice-based snacks.