Tanghulu craze is taking Korean youth by storm

Elementary school students who bought Tanghulu are walking on the street. [Photo by Song Kyung-eun]

A Tanghulu craze has taken over South Korea, captivating teenagers and young adults. This traditional Chinese street food, known for its sweet and tart candied fruits, has become a social media sensation, spreading like wildfire as the latest trend.

As Tanghulu gains popularity, dedicated shops are popping up all over the country. Not only that, even dessert cafes and restaurants are embracing this trend by adding Tanghulu to their menus, making it more accessible to the masses.

Tanghulu features various fruits like strawberries, oranges, pineapples, and grapes skewered on sticks and coated with a hardened sugar syrup.

According to sources on Tuesday, the largest Tanghulu franchise in Korea, Sweet Royal Tanghulu, witnessed a staggering growth from around 50 stores in February to over 300 stores this month, a six-fold increase in just five months. With an average of 1.6 new stores opening daily, the franchise’s popularity continues to soar.

As of 2021, the brand had only 11 stores since its inception in 2017, but the growing interest in Tanghulu since last fall has led to a geometric expansion of their franchise.

As the scorching summer temperatures set in, the popularity of iced Tanghulu, a cooler version of the treat akin to ice cream, is also on the rise.

According to Gmarket, an online shopping platform, the sales of iced Tanghulu from June 1 to July 24 this year increased by a remarkable 780 percent from a year ago.

The surge in Tanghulu’s popularity can be attributed to its rising trend among teenagers, who have propagated it through social media platforms.

According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT), Tanghulu and iced Tanghulu ranked first and third each in the top search for frozen and ready-to-eat meals by age group in the first half of this year. Tanghulu ranked 11th in the 20s and 12th in the 30s and 40s.