"Dujonku, bomdong, butter rice cake — now it's pumpkin injeolmi?"
The lifespan of food trends in South Korea is growing noticeably shorter. Analysts say the speed at which trends emerge and disappear has accelerated simultaneously, driven by consumption patterns spreading through social media.
Dujonku → Bomdong → Butter Rice Cake → Chang-eok Tteok: A New Craze Every Two Weeks
The latest food fads in South Korea are rotating roughly every two weeks, according to industry sources on May 27. Starting with "dujonku" — a chewy cookie dessert that gained popularity late last year — trends have cycled rapidly through bomdong bibimbap, butter rice cake, and Chang-eok tteok in quick succession.
Search volume data from Naver Data Lab illustrates the pace of change more clearly. Dujonku peaked on January 10 before entering a decline. Bomdong bibimbap hit its highest point on March 2. Butter rice cake followed on March 13, then Chang-eok tteok on March 19 — each claiming the top search spot in a relay of trends spaced roughly 15 days apart.
The hottest food trend right now is "pumpkin injeolmi" (pumpkin-flavored glutinous rice cake) from Chang-eok Tteok, a heritage rice cake shop based in Gwangju. After mentions by popular singers and YouTubers sparked word-of-mouth buzz, the shop now sees "open-run" queues at its offline stores and delays in online orders. The perception that "you must buy this rice cake when visiting Gwangju" is spreading rapidly.
Experts point to social media as the core engine behind these ultra-short-lived trends. Short, visually striking clips of people eating and reviewing trending foods on Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts trigger consumers' fear of missing out (FOMO), analysts say.
"On social media, food trends are driven by exposure, not taste," said Lee Hong-ju, a professor of consumer economics at Sookmyung Women's University. "Once consumers have participated in a trend, they feel they've already consumed it and no longer have reason to keep following it."
Lee Young-ae, a professor of consumer science at Incheon National University, offered a similar analysis. "What we're seeing is conformity consumption on social media — a bandwagon effect," she said. "Previously, challenges and flash mobs went viral on social media, but those weren't topics that directly affected daily life. Food, however, requires only a simple purchase, so once the urge to buy is triggered, it immediately converts into an actual purchase."
Flash Trends Are Both Opportunity and Risk for Small Business Owners
The shortened trend cycle is a double-edged sword for small business owners. Riding a trend can boost sales in the short term, but it also brings the burden of surging ingredient costs and plummeting demand.
When dujonku was trending, the price of kadayif — a key ingredient — surged approximately 68.3% from 18,900 won to 31,800 won, according to Korea Price Information Corp. Finished product prices more than doubled as well. But when the trend faded and demand plunged, the situation reversed. Social media posts advertising "dujonku price cuts" have been appearing frequently in recent weeks.
Experts say consumers are growing fatigued by the relentless pace of food fads. "The fact that trend cycles are getting shorter is itself evidence that the intensity of each trend is weakening," said Lee Eun-hee, a professor of consumer science at Inha University. "As specific dessert trends keep repeating, fatigue has built up and consumers have become indifferent."
Lee Hong-ju agreed. "As consumer fatigue accumulates, some will continue chasing the next trend, but others will stop following fads altogether and return to steady-seller menu items," he said. "As people's fatigue with trendy products grows, these short-lived trends will likely diminish further."
