"14,000 Won? Of All the Hype, 'Dujjonku' Is the Most Over-the-Top Ever... I'll End the Trend," Says Joo Woojae

Joking Around During a Mukbang on YouTube
"If It Goes Over 6,000 Won, It's Not Worth the Price"

Model and broadcaster Joo Woojae has sparked attention with his candid remarks about the currently viral "Dubai Jjondeuk Cookie" (Dujjonku).

Model and broadcaster Joo Woojae is eating the recently trending "Dujjonku." Screenshot from the YouTube channel "Today's Joo Woojae"

On January 16, the YouTube channel "Today's Joo Woojae" uploaded a video titled, "I'm Here to End the Dujjonku Trend. Dujjonku ASMR, Making Dujjonku, Dubai Chocolate Dessert Mukbang." Before tasting the Dujjonku dessert in the video, Joo Woojae commented on the craze, saying, "I've seen all kinds of hype, but I think this is the most over-the-top ever."

Joo Woojae then criticized the expensive price of Dujjonku. He said, "Looking now, products priced between 5,000 and 8,000 won at each store are almost all sold out. I even saw one priced at 14,000 won. Maybe people are rational, because that one wasn't sold out." He continued, "Honestly, I'm not even curious, so I could just throw it away without eating it. Hype is hype, and content is content, so I'll give it a try." Joo Woojae began his mukbang by saying, "Today, I'll eat it as unappetizingly as possible to end the trend."

Joo Woojae is saying, "I will end the 'Dujjonku' trend." Screenshot from the YouTube channel 'Today's Joo Woojae'

After tasting several desserts, Joo Woojae said, "In my opinion, it's worth 5,900 won. After trying it today, I think up to the 5,000-won range is fine. Once it hits the 6,000-won range, the value for money drops. It's a bit hard to accept." Next, after making Dujjonku himself, he added, "Now it's 6,000 won. With this much effort, it's better to just order it. Just order it if it's up to 5,900 won."

Dujjonku refers to a type of cookie dessert made by mixing kadaif (thin Middle Eastern noodles) and pistachio cream, then wrapping it in a round shape with marshmallow. Despite being smaller than the palm of your hand, it is priced between 5,000 and 10,000 won. Although this is a hefty price for a dessert, it continues to see "open runs" and frequent early sellouts. In fact, on Instagram, there are over 35,000 posts with the hashtag "#두쫀쿠."

Dubai Jjondeuk Cookie, commonly known as 'Dujjonku'.

Foreign media have also reported on the "Dujjonku" craze. Recently, the BBC in the United Kingdom reported that a dessert inspired by Dubai chocolate is gaining huge popularity in Korea. The sticky, rich cookie made with pistachio spread, kadaif, and marshmallow is reportedly so popular in Korea that it is now hard to find.

The BBC noted that shops are selling hundreds of cookies within minutes, and this craze has driven up the prices of key ingredients. Dujjonku first gained popularity last September when Jang Wonyoung of the girl group IVE posted a photo on Instagram. Currently, it is being sold for between 5,000 and 10,000 won, but the strong demand is expected to push prices even higher.

Food critics cited the "thick and dense texture" as the reason for the Dubai Jjondeuk Cookie's success in Korea. The BBC highlighted this as an example of a global dessert combining with Korean consumer culture to create an explosive trend.