What Is Dussonku? Even Financial Apps Add 'Maps' [1mm Finance Talk]

'Dubai Chewy Cookie' Craze
Toss Launches 'Dussonkumap'
Gaining Popularity with Real-Time Inventory Updates
Part of the Super App Expansion Strategy

Dussonkumap provides the locations of stores selling Dussonku and real-time inventory status. Screenshot of Toss Mini App Dussonkumap

As the craze for "Dussonku" (Dubai Chewy Cookie) intensifies, even map services that provide real-time inventory information have appeared on financial company apps. Financial companies positioning themselves as "super apps" are rapidly adding lifestyle-focused services in succession, aiming to achieve a "lock-in effect" that keeps customers within their ecosystem.

According to the financial industry on January 14, Toss recently added the "Dussonkumap" feature to its mini app. Dussonkumap is a service that provides real-time information on whether nearby stores sell Dussonku and the quantity in stock, based on the user's location.

Dussonku is a dessert created in Korea, inspired by Dubai chocolate. The filling is made by mixing kadaif (thin noodles commonly used in Middle Eastern cuisine), the main ingredient of Dubai chocolate, with pistachio cream, and then wrapping it in a round shape with cocoa powder-mixed marshmallow. It is characterized by its unique soft and chewy texture. The dessert began attracting attention after Jang Wonyoung of the idol group IVE posted a photo of Dussonku on her Instagram story in September last year.

Image to aid understanding of the article. Screenshot from YouTube channel 'Gombom'

Dussonku is currently sold throughout the country, but its popularity is so high that it is difficult to find without participating in an "open run" (lining up before stores open). As more people travel across Seoul searching for available stock, the number of users checking real-time inventory through Dussonkumap has surged.

The reason for such seemingly unrelated features appearing on financial apps lies in the recent "super app strategy" adopted by the financial industry. Lee Seunggun, CEO of Viva Republica and founder of Toss, announced last year his vision to "evolve from a financial super app to a super app for everyday life." Toss is expanding its range of functions, such as games and shopping, through its "Apps-in-Toss" strategy, which connects external services within the app. As of now, approximately 520 services have been launched on the Toss mini app. The cumulative number of users has exceeded 2.6 million, with over 15 million cumulative page views, and the average user session duration has been recorded at 6.7 minutes.

Through this strategy, Toss aims to maximize user acquisition and seize the opportunity to become a major platform like Naver or Kakao. It is also being recognized for achieving mutual growth through collaboration with individual developers and startups. A Toss representative explained, "Users can enjoy a variety of convenient services with just Toss, without installing separate apps, and partner companies can significantly reduce marketing and design costs by leveraging Toss's vast user base."