Cardiologist Reviews Dujjonku: "My Tongue Was Shocked... Designed to Be Irresistible"

A Doctor Shares His "Single-Person Clinical Trial" After Tasting It Himself
Experts: "Cut Into Four Pieces and Consume in Small Amounts"

Recently, the "Dubai Chewy Cookie" (Dujjonku) has experienced explosive popularity in Korea, leading to sold-out situations at many retailers. The phenomenon has grown to the point where maps indicating available store locations and stock levels have appeared. At the same time, warnings are increasing about the potential health risks from excessive consumption of Dujjonku.

At the '2026 Cafe Dessert Fair' held at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, the currently popular dessert 'Dubai Jjondeuk Cookie' is attracting the attention of visitors. Photo by Yonhap News

Im Taehyung, a cardiologist at Haedong Hospital in Busan, recently shared his concerns about the trend by posting a review of Dujjonku on his social media after tasting it himself. He recounted his experience in the format of a "single-person clinical trial report" after eating Dujjonku he had received from a pharmaceutical company employee. While he praised the taste, describing it as "the coexistence of crispiness and chewiness-a truly ingenious invention by someone," he also noted the intense stimulation, saying the sweetness started on his tongue and surged to his palate and brain.

He went beyond simply saying it was "delicious," describing how "the sweetness covers the tongue, travels up the palate, and goes straight to the brain," emphasizing the shock of excessive sugar. He added, "Calling it sweet is not enough," and remarked, "It was so aggressively sweet that my tongue, which has been telling patients to cut back on sweets for 30 years, was left bewildered."

Dr. Im explained that the combination of sugar and fat in Dujjonku strongly stimulates the brain's reward circuit. He said, "There's no denying it's tasty, but this flavor is the result of sugar and fat directly targeting the brain's reward system," analyzing that, from an evolutionary perspective, humans are designed to be unable to resist this combination. This, he concluded, is why such desserts inevitably become popular.

A sold-out notice for pistachios is placed at the nut section of a large supermarket in Seoul. Pistachios, the main ingredient of the recently popular "Dujjonku" (Dubai Chewy Cookie), have seen a sharp price increase due to rising raw material costs and supply instability. Yonhap News

"It's important to control both the speed and amount of consumption"

He also jokingly criticized the fact that he received three cookies at once, saying, "Receiving three, when one should be divided into several pieces, was an overprescription by the pharmaceutical company." Dr. Im emphasized the need to control both the speed and amount of consumption, stating that he would eat the remaining two "very slowly, giving my blood vessels time to forget."

Dujjonku is a dessert made by frying kadaif (thin noodles) in oil for a crispy texture, then adding pistachio spread, marshmallows, and cocoa powder. However, the main ingredients are refined carbohydrates, saturated fats, and sugar, densely combined into a high-calorie food, which has raised health concerns. Each cookie contains between 400 and 600 kcal, which is often more than a bowl of rice, meaning that eating it as a dessert after a meal can significantly increase daily calorie intake.

Such high-sugar, high-fat foods can cause blood sugar to spike rapidly and make the blood sticky, potentially leading to circulatory problems. In particular, refined sugars and marshmallows are quickly digested and absorbed, making blood sugar levels rise sharply soon after consumption, while milk fat and oil slow digestion, causing high blood sugar to persist for a longer period. If this process is repeated, it can place a heavy burden on the pancreas and cause inflammation in the blood vessel walls, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Additionally, the simultaneous presence of simple sugars and fats can interfere with the leptin hormone signals that regulate satiety. This can lead to overeating, thereby increasing the risk of obesity and metabolic diseases. It can also negatively affect dental health, as sticky ingredients may remain between teeth or at the gum line for extended periods, causing inflammation and tartar buildup.

Experts say that completely avoiding Dujjonku is best, but if you want to eat it, it is advisable to "reduce the amount." Instead of eating a whole cookie at once, it is recommended to cut it into four or more pieces and consume it gradually. This can help prevent blood sugar spikes and excessive calorie intake. It is also preferable to eat it during the day, when activity levels are higher and calories are more likely to be burned, rather than late at night. Beverage choices are important as well. Instead of drinks containing high-fructose corn syrup or milk-based lattes, pairing Dujjonku with water, an Americano, or unsweetened tea can help reduce the calorie burden.