"I Waited Two Hours Out of Curiosity for Dujjonku"... 15,000 Won for Two? The Price Is Whatever People Will Pay [Why&Next]

Modisumer Recipes Spread via Social Media
Ditto Consumption and Bandwagon Effect Accelerate Trend
Creating New Demand in the Dessert Market
But Seen as One-Off Content... Popularity May Be Short-Lived

"I waited in line for two hours just to get in, but they limited sales to two per person, so it was really hard to get my hands on them."

Lee Aeran, a 44-year-old full-time homemaker living in Gangdong-gu, Seoul, said this after purchasing the dessert "Dubai Jjondeuk Cookie (Dujjonku)," which recently caused a sold-out frenzy at her neighborhood bakery. She said she saw a handwritten sign reading "Dujjonku Restocked" and joined the line without even knowing the price. The price for two Dujjonku was 15,000 won. "I bought them because I had heard so much about Dujjonku and was curious, and they happened to be selling them," she said. "These days, the price is whatever people are willing to pay."

The Dujjonku craze has swept across South Korea. Dujjonku, a unique chocolate dessert that originated in Dubai and has been reinterpreted in a Korean style, spread rapidly as its recipe was shared on social networking services (SNS). As cafes and bakeries rushed to make and sell them, Dujjonku repeatedly triggered "open runs" and sold-out situations. Trends such as "Modisumer" (Modify + Consumer, referring to consumers who modify products to their own tastes) and "Ditto Consumption" (purchasing products by following celebrities on SNS), which are characteristic of Millennials & Gen Z, have fueled new consumption patterns. However, considering the short trend cycles in the dessert market, some predict that Dujjonku's popularity will be short-lived.

'What is Dujjonku?'... The emergence of the new term 'Duketing'

Dujjonku is a dessert made by filling it with pistachio spread and crispy Middle Eastern noodles called kadaif, then wrapping it in chocolate and marshmallow to create a chewy texture. Although it looks like a cookie on the outside, the moment you take a bite, you experience crispiness, chewiness, and nuttiness all at once. The sound and visual effect when cutting or biting into the chocolate are highly optimized for short-form content, making it a key driver of its spread on SNS.

The original version of this dessert, Dubai chocolate, was first introduced in 2021 by "Peace Dessert Chocolat," a company based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). After experiencing a brief trend in Korea, it was reinterpreted with a stronger focus on texture as Dujjonku, gaining both popularity and scalability.

Online, so-called "Dujjonku maps" have emerged, allowing people to share the locations and stock status of cafes selling Dujjonku. As consumers update the information themselves, a competitive landscape has formed, and in the rush to secure limited quantities, the new term "Duketing" (Dujjonku + ticketing) has naturally spread.

dubaicookiemap capture

"One Menu Item Turns Sales Around"... Small Businesses Ride the Bandwagon

Dujjonku is priced between 5,000 and 10,000 won per piece, making it a relatively expensive dessert. Nevertheless, long lines form early in the day in major Seoul commercial districts, and early sellouts have driven a rapid increase in sales locations. Until the end of last year, Dujjonku could only be found at a few cafes, but it has recently appeared everywhere from neighborhood bakeries and independent cafes to side dish shops and Korean restaurants. In self-employed business communities, people share the sentiment that "it's an item that can test turnover rates, even if just for a short period."

Dujjonku is not a mass-produced, planned product, but rather a dessert that small shops can implement quickly. It doesn't require complex processes or equipment investments, and can be produced in small quantities, minimizing risk. This is why independent stores have been able to respond more quickly to market trends than franchises, which require headquarters-led menu development and approval. Among small business owners, there's a consensus that "you can experiment without having to overhaul your entire menu."

A Korean restaurant selling Dujjonku. Screenshot of a delivery app screen.

The spread of Dujjonku has displayed a classic bandwagon effect. As purchase certifications and early sellout cases were repeatedly posted on SNS, the psychology of "many people have already chosen this" stimulated consumption more than the product's individual quality. With long lines, limited quantity notices, and map-based sharing, Dujjonku quickly became perceived as a "verified trend."

This was further amplified by the fear of missing out (FOMO). The limited quantity and short sales period created a sense of "if not now, you'll miss out," accelerating purchase decisions. Among people in their 20s and 30s, consumption itself became an act of participation, which sped up the trend's spread even more.

Small business owners have strategically leveraged this psychology. They maximize exposure by announcing sellouts and encouraging SNS certifications without additional marketing costs, and connect customers drawn in by Dujjonku to other menu items. One independent cafe owner in Seoul said, "If you don't have Dujjonku, customers start asking why not, especially as nearby cafes begin offering it," adding, "Apart from the sales effect, I added it to the menu to stay competitive in the local market."

Impact Spreads to Platforms and Major Brands

This enthusiasm is immediately visible on platforms as well. On Coupang Eats, top search keywords included "Dubai Jjondeuk Cookie," "Dujjonku," and "Dubai," while on Baemin, Dujjonku takeout (pickup) orders in the first week of this month surged 321% compared to a month earlier. Some stores use Dujjonku as a low-margin "bait product" to increase search exposure and customer traffic, then connect these customers to other menu items.

The commercial potential of Dubai desserts has already been demonstrated by the success of "Dubai chocolate" menu items launched by major food brands. Dunkin's "Dubai Style Chocolate Donut," released in October 2024, surpassed 1.26 million units in cumulative sales, and the recently launched "K-Dubai Style Black Sesame Donut" has also been a hit.

Premium dessert brand Knotted launched three types of "Dubai Donuts"-chocolate, matcha, and Greek yogurt-in December last year. As of January 11, daily sales have increased by more than seven times compared to the initial launch. In just about a month, Dubai Donuts accounted for about 17% of Knotted's total donut sales, quickly becoming a signature menu item. Sulbing's "Dubai Choco Sulbing" also exceeded 1 million units in cumulative sales, and in December last year alone, sales increased 42% compared to the previous month, making it a star product that boosted off-season revenue.

The cumulative sales of Dubai chocolate-related products at major domestic convenience stores have already surpassed 10 million units, with sales in the related category growing by more than 200% year-on-year.

'Dubai Choco Sulbing' appearance. Sulbing

The Bright and Dark Sides of the Trend... Short Lifespan and Cost Pressure Are Variables

However, it is uncertain whether the Dujjonku craze will last. In the domestic dessert market, there have been repeated cases where items like honeycomb ice cream, Taiwanese castella, brown sugar bubble tea, and honey butter chips spread rapidly through SNS but disappeared just as quickly. For this reason, many see dessert trends as temporary consumption events rather than stable products.

Ham Sunok, a professor in the Department of Food and Nutrition at Yonsei University, said, "The spread of certain foods or fashion items is less about coincidence and more about marketing led by businesses and influencers. Even products with little nutritional value, like tanghulu, have become trends due to SNS exposure and conspicuous consumption psychology." She added, "This kind of consumption is more about low-intensity conspicuous consumption to show that you know the trend, rather than actual value. Products with real value don't disappear easily, but trends created by marketing heat up quickly and cool off just as fast."

There is also increasing pressure from rising raw material costs for Dujjonku. Based on online wholesale distribution, the price of roasted kadaif (5kg) has risen from 60,000-70,000 won before the Dubai chocolate trend to over 140,000 won recently, and shelled pistachios are now around 110,000 won per kilogram. Pistachio prices have more than doubled. As orders have surged, it is also taking much longer for supplies to arrive after being ordered. Since many key ingredients rely on overseas sourcing, fluctuations in exchange rates or international market conditions can significantly impact profitability, which is another risk. One small business owner said, "When I try to order more ingredients, the price is often different from last time. Sometimes kadaif or pistachios go up by 20-30% at a time, so it's hard to keep menu costs stable."

An industry insider emphasized, "Trend items are good for generating short-term buzz, but as soon as supply increases, their appeal as a trend quickly fades. For Dujjonku, the key will be how to convert the current interest into a permanent menu item or brand asset."