How a Korean Twist on a Middle Eastern Treat Conquered the World
Food trends usually travel outward from their place of origin. In a rare cultural reversal, however, a dessert inspired by a product from Dubai is now being exported from South Korea back to the Middle East. The “dujjonku,” short for Dubai Chewy Cookie in Korean, is a Dubai chocolate-inspired treat that has become one of the most talked-about items in global dessert culture.
While the original Dubai chocolate relied on the crunch of pistachios and kataifi pastry, Korean patisseries introduced a key addition: the stretchy marshmallow. The result is a softer, chewier texture that sets the cookie apart from its precursor and other cookies. The twist proved popular enough that Time Out Dubai recently listed dujjonku as a top local food trend, using its Korean phonetic name rather than an English translation.
The cookie’s success has helped spark a wider wave of “K-dessert” branding across Asia. In Japan, cafes in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district promote the cookie not by its Middle Eastern flavors but as a “Korean trend.” Online, the hype reached meme status. A viral Reddit post jokingly labeled the South Korean economy as resting on three pillars: Samsung, SK Hynix, and Dubai Chewy Cookie.
What began as a viral snack has turned into a lesson in cultural branding. By reimagining foreign flavors and amplifying them through social media and K-pop-driven influence, South Korea has expanded its soft power beyond the music and entertainment industries. In the process, it has positioned itself as a global trendsetter not just in pop culture, but also on the palate.
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1. Which stretchy ingredient sets dujjonku apart from the original Dubai treat?
2. What phonetic name did Time Out Dubai use for the cookie recently?
3. Where did the viral Reddit post jokingly label the South Korean economy?
4. How has South Korea expanded its global soft power through food trends?
1. Why do some food trends travel so quickly across different countries?
2. How can a simple snack help people learn about another culture?
3. Does the name of a food make you more interested in it?
4. Why is cultural branding important for a country's global influence?
Food trends usually travel outward from their place of origin. In a rare cultural reversal, however, a dessert inspired by a product from Dubai is now being exported from South Korea back to the Middle East. The “dujjonku,” short for Dubai Chewy Cookie in Korean, is a Dubai chocolate-inspired treat that has become one of the most talked-about items in global dessert culture.
