"Over 200 Meters of Waiting Lines, Five-Hour Waits" Daejeon in Frenzy Over Strawberry Siru Cake

Waiting Lines Stretch to the Underground Mall
A Unique Winter Scene Repeated Every Year

Sungsimdang, Daejeon's leading bakery, began selling its winter limited edition cake, the 'Strawberry Siru,' ahead of Christmas. On the first day of its release, waiting lines in front of the store lasted for over five hours, resulting in significant congestion. According to Sungsimdang, starting from December 23, the large Strawberry Siru (2.3kg) has been available at the Cake Boutique main store for 49,000 won. The Strawberry Siru is an exclusive product at the Cake Boutique main store, and purchases are limited to one per person.

Sungsimdang started selling the winter limited cake 'Strawberry Siru' ahead of Christmas, and from the first day of release, waiting lines extended to the underground shopping mall, causing significant congestion. Online community

On the first day of release, a waiting line over 200 meters long formed around Jungangno Station in Jung-gu, Daejeon, where the Sungsimdang main store is located. The crowd seeking to purchase the Strawberry Siru extended beyond the store, stretching through nearby shops and even into the underground shopping mall at Jungangno Station, causing severe congestion as locals and tourists mingled. The Strawberry Siru, filled with strawberries both on top and inside, is a winter limited edition product and one of Sungsimdang's most popular items. Compared to hotel cakes that cost well over 100,000 won, it is sold in a large size at about half the price, drawing customers from all over the country every winter.

From Early Morning Lines to Secondhand Sales... Soaring Popularity Brings Congestion and Controversy

Visitor reviews from the scene quickly spread via social networking services (SNS). Comments such as "I've been in line for five hours" and "Sungsimdang has rewritten the history of waiting lines" circulated, along with stories of people waiting in front of the store from early morning to buy the Strawberry Siru. With its popularity, some side effects have also emerged. Posts offering to resell purchased Strawberry Siru cakes at a premium appeared on online secondhand trading platforms.

Seongsimdang Strawberry Siru Cake listed on the secondhand trading platform. Secondhand trading platform 'Danggeun'

In response, Sungsimdang announced on its official website that unauthorized proxy purchases and third-party sales are strictly prohibited. The company emphasized, "Recently, there have been confirmed cases of unauthorized proxy purchases, but there are significant risks of spoilage, hygiene issues, and damage during transportation," adding, "All proxy purchases and sales outside official stores are strictly prohibited." Among online users, some commented that "the long lines are inevitable given the high level of satisfaction for the price," while others pointed out the need for measures to prevent reselling and excessive congestion.

Meanwhile, Sungsimdang, which opened as a steamed bun shop in front of Daejeon Station in 1956, has grown into one of Daejeon's most iconic landmarks, attracting over 10 million visitors annually. Last year, its sales reached 193.7 billion won, a 55.9% increase from the previous year, and it became the first single bakery brand to surpass 100 billion won in annual sales.