Oldies but goodies: Korean grandmothers' favorite desserts gain global popularity thanks to social media

Classic Korean desserts, considered to be "grandma's taste" by Koreans, are gaining popularity among millennials and Gen Z people around the world, driven by social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube where food videos are widely shared.

Videos of foreigners trying the ggultteok (sweet rice cake) cereal recipe on TikTok [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Yakgwa, ggultteok and hodu gwaja — Korea's traditional desserts are riding the sweet, online Hallyu wave.

Yakgwa is a sweet, honey cookie and ggultteok is a sweet rice cake with a sweet sesame jam filling. Hodu gwaja is a type of walnut pastry stuffed with a sweet red bean filling.

These desserts, considered to be "grandma's taste" by Koreans, are gaining popularity among millennials and Gen Z people around the world, driven by social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube where food videos — particularly mukbang — are widely shared.

In response, Korean food companies are expanding exports by spotlighting K-desserts.

K-desserts trend on social media Among the most talked-about K-dessert trends on social media is ggultteok cereal. The concoction is made of rice cakes served with milk and has been dubbed by some overseas influencers as “K-bubble tea.” Its vibrant colors and chewy texture offer a unique charm distinct from familiar sweets like bread and cake.

SPC Samlip's Samlip Yakgwa (sweet honey cookie) [SPC SAMLIP]

The dessert’s appeal also stems from its ingredients. Made from rice rather than wheat, it qualifies as a gluten-free food. Unlike spicy tteokbokki (fried rice cakes), which isn't everyone's cup of tea, sweet ggultteok is more universally appealing.

According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT), processed foods made from rice flour — including tteok (rice cakes) — recorded $2.31 million in exports last month, a 15 percent increase from the same month last year.

Street snacks draw overseas fans Exports of popular Korean street foods such as hoppang (steamed bun with fillings) and hotteok (sweet pancakes with fillings) are also seeing strong growth, buoyed by appearances in Korean dramas and films.

According to SPC Samlip, its red bean hoppang is now sold in 22 countries including the United States, Australia, Hong Kong and several European countries. Its honey hotteok, filled with ingredients like chestnuts, corn and seeds, is available in 30 countries.

Yakgwa has emerged as a favorite snack in the United States and Japan. SPC’s yakgwa has been stocked at all 620 Don Quijote stores in Japan and over 200 Costco locations in the United States since the second half of last year. Previously available mainly at Korean grocery chains like H Mart and Hannam Chain, yakgwa’s growing popularity among local consumers has led to its entry into mainstream supermarkets.

Boochang Jegwa hodu gwaja (walnut pastry) [FG]

Customers line up at the Boochang Jegwa hodu gwaja (walnut pastry) store located inside Starfield Suwon in Gyeonggi. [FG]

“Our export products like ggultteok and steamed cakes have also been well received,” said an SPC representative. “We are responding to growing demand from Europe, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.”

Boochang Jegwa, a bakery brand known for its walnut pastries popularized by actor Lee Jang-woo, is also preparing for international expansion following strong domestic performance. According to its operator, FG, sales at the Shinsegae Department Store in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, amount to approximately 250 million won ($184,000) per month, with foreign shoppers accounting for around 20 percent of sales. The bakery aims to enter major department stores and shopping malls in Tokyo and Osaka during the first half of next year.

“Interest in walnut pastries is high in Japan, with features in media like the Nikkei,” an FG official said. “We are also considering expanding to the United States and Vietnam.”

Korean flavors emerge as a global trend Industry experts believe the popularity of K-desserts is more than a passing trend.

In a recent report, aT noted that global market research firm Mintel had identified tteokbokki as a trending flavor in its latest global food and beverage report, indicating growing international interest in Korean flavors.

“It’s encouraging that Korean foods are gaining traction overseas even without localized adjustments,” said a food industry official. “We plan to focus more on product refinement, including new flavors and ingredients tailored for global consumers.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff. BY KIM KYUNG-MI [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]