The 'Halmaennial' Craze Was Real... Last Year's Dessert King Was 'Tteok'

Surpassing Waffles and Yogurt to Rank First in Growth Rate
Fastest Expansion in Sales Share Among 20s
Inventing Fusion Products Like 'Tiramisu Tteok'

The popularity of rice cakes (tteok) and traditional Korean sweets (hangwa) is rapidly rising. Last year, the sales growth rate of tteok specialty stores surpassed that of traditional desserts such as waffles, pies, and ice cream. In the past, the main consumers of tteok and hangwa were primarily middle-aged and older adults, but now the popularity of tteok is quickly spreading among young people in their 20s. This is being recognized as a sign that traditional snacks are emerging as a new trend.

On the 21st, KB Kookmin Card analyzed credit and debit card sales and the proportion of new franchise stores in dessert specialty shops over the past four years. According to the results, the sales growth rate of tteok and hangwa specialty stores recorded 66%, ranking first among all dessert products. This was followed by waffles and pies (65%), ice cream and yogurt (36%), donuts (29%), and cakes (7%).

Traditional snacks such as rice cakes and hangwa are emerging as new dessert trends.

Tteok, classified as a 'traditional snack,' has pushed aside Western foods, which have traditionally dominated the dessert industry. The sales proportion of tteok and hangwa within specialty stores handling various desserts also increased by 3 percentage points, from 22.7% in 2019 to 25.7% in 2022.

In particular, the new traditional snack craze is appearing among the younger generation. The sales proportion of tteok and hangwa among people in their 20s increased by 2.2 percentage points, from 5.5% in 2019 to 7.7% in 2022, showing the largest growth compared to other age groups. However, the main consumer group for tteok and hangwa remains the middle-aged and older adults in their 50s and 60s, who accounted for 60.3% of total sales.

Enthusiasm for Fusion Tteok Combining Western and Traditional Snacks... The 'Halmaennial' Craze

The rediscovery of tteok and hangwa reflects the recent craze for 'Halmaennial' (a portmanteau of 'halmeoni,' meaning grandmother, and 'millennial') popular on social media platforms. Young people, tired of rich and greasy desserts, are seeking lighter flavors and have become fascinated with 'grandmother’s snacks.'

Fusion rice cakes, such as glutinous rice cakes filled with whipped cream, are also being developed. The photo is not related to any specific expression in the article / Photo by Asia Economy DB

Recently, new tteok specialty stores have emerged that go beyond simply following traditional recipes, offering various fusion tteok dishes that combine Western styles. The younger generation is enthusiastic about these new attempts.

The types of fusion tteok are diverse. Some products incorporate Western ingredients such as fresh cream, castella, and tiramisu into tteok, while fusion dishes have also been developed by adding traditional ingredients like black sesame to Western beverages and pastries such as lattes and pastries.

Thanks to the success of fusion products, the production volume of tteok and hangwa is gradually increasing. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the production volume of tteok and hangwa was only 230,000 tons in 2017, but it grew by 87% over four years, reaching 433,000 tons in 2021, with shipments approaching 401,000 tons. In terms of value, it grew from 546 billion won to 731.3 billion won during the same period.