Why Food Trends Die So Fast in Korea

Last year, a tanghulu shop opened right below our office in Hongdae. Every afternoon, there was a line out the door — mostly tourists, but plenty of Koreans too. The owner had invested in a proper interior, custom packaging, even a neon sign.

Three months later, it was gone.

The space sat empty for about two weeks, and then a new sign went up: Dubai chocolate. Same address, completely different business. I watched the whole thing happen from my window.