"Korean Style Candy"... 'Squid Game' Dalgona, 6000 Won at US Bakery

Reflecting the Popularity of Netflix Drama 'Ojingeo Game'

So-called 'Squid Game Dalgona' sold at a bakery in Virginia, USA / Photo by Reddit, a US online community capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] The nostalgic street snack 'Dalgona' is gaining attention overseas as a unique product in the US, Europe, and other regions. With the global popularity of the Netflix drama 'Squid Game,' interest in the Dalgona featured in the show also appears to have increased.

On the 10th (local time), according to the US online community 'Reddit,' a bakery in Annandale, Virginia recently launched a new menu item called 'Dalgona.'

A photo shared by an American netizen shows the menu name as 'Squid Game Dalgona,' priced at about $5 (5,980 KRW). To help American consumers unfamiliar with Dalgona, it was described as 'Korean style sugar candy.'

The reactions from netizens who saw the photo were enthusiastic. They expressed interest with comments like, "Five dollars is just the right price for a souvenir," "Is online ordering available?" and "I want to try making it myself."

The overseas interest in Dalgona seems to be related to the worldwide popularity of the Netflix drama 'Squid Game.'

It has been reported that the price of Dalgona has increased domestically, fueled by the popularity of the Netflix drama "Ojingeo Game." / Photo by Internet Community Capture

Produced by a domestic studio, this drama depicts the story of 456 people invited to a mysterious death game with a prize of 45.6 billion KRW. The show features 'Dalgona picking,' a nostalgic game in Korea, which attracted attention from overseas netizens.

Dalgona is spreading not only in the US but also in other countries' dessert markets. On the global e-commerce site 'eBay,' a 'Dalgona kit' that allows users to make Dalgona and play the picking game is sold for up to tens of thousands of won.

Recently, controversy arose domestically as Dalgona was sold at high prices. According to a post titled 'The current status of Dalgona riding on the popularity of Squid Game' posted on an online community on the 5th, four shapes of Dalgona featured in Squid Game?square, triangle, circle, and umbrella?were being sold for about 7,000 KRW.

Some netizens who read the post criticized the pricing, saying, "I understand the demand surged, but 7,000 KRW for sugar candy is too much," "The nostalgic treat that used to cost 100 to 500 KRW has become too expensive," "Foreigners might buy it laughing now, but isn't it embarrassing?" and "Trying to row when the tide is in, but the water might run out."