Closure of Tanghulu Shops on the Rise
127 Shops Closed Since April
As the so-called 'Maratanghulu' challenge is trending on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, a survey has revealed that the craze for Tanghulu, which was wildly popular among young people, has somewhat subsided.
According to the statistical analysis of local administrative permit data released by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on the 24th, 34 Tanghulu shops have closed from the beginning of this month until the 17th, averaging about two closures per day. From April to the 17th of this month, a total of 127 Tanghulu shops nationwide have shut down. The number of closed stores increased steadily from 11 in January to 16 in February, 28 in March, and reached 49 in April. Last month, 43 shops were reported closed.
In particular, Dalkomwangga Tanghulu, the top Tanghulu franchise, announced that it opened its 500th store last November, just two years after starting its franchise business. However, seven months later, the number of stores has actually decreased to 490. Nationwide, the number of Tanghulu shops exceeded 1,500 at the beginning of this month but dropped to 1,495 as of the 17th.
The decline in Tanghulu's popularity is also confirmed by BC Card's nationwide Tanghulu franchise data analysis. BC Card's sales index for Tanghulu franchises has been on a downward trend since its peak in September last year. In April, the sales index fell by 27% compared to the previous month.
Given this situation, opinions are emerging that the Tanghulu craze might be coming to an end, similar to the fleeting popularity of honeycomb ice cream, Taiwanese castella, and brown sugar bubble tea.
Girl group IVE's Jang Wonyoung (left) and YouTuber Chimchakman dancing to the trending Mala Tang Huru Challenge [Image source=YouTube Shorts capture]
Meanwhile, Tanghulu is a snack made by coating fruits such as strawberries, green grapes, and tangerines with sugar syrup, and it gained huge popularity among elementary, middle, and high school students. This led to the creation of new slang terms like 'Sikhutang' (Tanghulu after meals) and 'Tangchinminguk' (Korea crazy about Tanghulu). Recently, a 'Maratanghulu' challenge video uploaded on TikTok surpassed 30 million views, and the challenge attracted participation from celebrities such as Ive's Jang Wonyoung and Chimchakman, making it a hot topic.
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