SNS-Fueled Craze for 'Doo-ssont-koo' Cookies Sparks Open-Run Lines and Supply Surge
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
A Korean dessert called 'Dubai chewy cookie' (두바이 쫀득 쿠키, or 두쫀쿠) has become a viral hit on social media, triggering long "open-run" queues at bakeries despite cold weather and limited daily supplies. Inspired by 2024’s Dubai chocolate trend, the treat combines kadaif (a Middle Eastern shredded pastry) with pistachio cream and marshmallow, resembling chapssaltteok (찹쌀떡, a Korean glutinous rice cake) more than a typical cookie. Popularity has spread beyond bakeries to unexpected restaurants—gukbap (국밥, Korean soup with rice), Korean eateries, and sushi places are selling the cookie as a marketing tactic to attract customers amid a consumption slump. Imports of key ingredients like pistachios, kadaif, and cocoa powder have risen, and domestic ingredient prices have jumped sharply. Consumers and creators turn to DIY recipes online as the item sells out and resale prices climb up to 10,000 won each. Experts say the trend is driven less by taste than by "Ditto" (나도 마찬가지) SNS consumption—people mimic influencers and friends—and a desire for small affordable luxuries during economic downturns.
