"Even at cold noodle restaurants, Dubai Chewy Cookies" — Foreign media spotlight Korean-style 'Dubai Chewy Cookie' craze

[The Financial News] The "Dubai Chewy Cookie" (Dubai Chewy Cookies), which ironically does not actually exist in Dubai, has become hugely popular in South Korea and is now drawing attention from foreign media. Overseas outlets report that the trend was inspired by Dubai Chocolate and then reinterpreted in a distinctly Korean style.
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) recently reported that Dubai Chocolate, which went viral worldwide on social media, has been transformed into Dubai Chewy Cookies in South Korea and is generating strong sales. The BBC noted that although it is called a cookie, it is made by wrapping pistachios and kadaif in chocolate marshmallow, giving it a texture closer to a chewy rice cake.
The BBC viewed the turning point as last September, when Jang Won-young of the girl group Ive posted about it on Instagram, after which Dubai Chewy Cookies really began to spread.
According to the BBC, the Dubai Chewy Cookie boom in South Korea has gone beyond a passing fad. It pointed out that not only dessert shops and bakeries but even sushi restaurants and cold noodle restaurants have started selling it, calling this a particularly striking development.
The report also mentioned that surging demand has driven up the prices of key ingredients. Each piece currently sells for around 5,000 to 10,000 won, and there is speculation that prices could rise further.
Food critics cite its thick shape and generously filled interior as the secret to its popularity. They explain that the visible abundance and visual satisfaction strongly stimulate consumers' desire to buy.
Media outlets in the Middle East are also taking interest in South Korea's Dubai Chewy Cookie craze.
Gulf News, an English-language outlet based in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), highlighted the Dubai Chewy Cookie fever, describing it as a dessert inspired by Dubai Chocolate and characterized by its chewy texture.
The outlet reported that explosive demand has led to long lines in front of shops and frequent instant sellouts. On social media, it has become popular to post videos of Dubai Chewy Cookies being pulled apart to show their stretchiness, and maps marking stores and their stock status are being shared as items sell out.
Indian food platform Slurrp commented that while Dubai Chewy Cookies originated from Dubai Chocolate, they have created a new level of trend. It analyzed that viral desserts do more than simply cross borders; they are adapted to local tastes in each region, generating new forms of consumer demand.
On social media, overseas users are sharing clips of themselves sourcing local ingredients and making Dubai Chewy Cookies using online recipes, while foreign visitors in South Korea are posting their own tasting reviews, further spreading the trend.


hsg@fnnews.com Han Seung-gon Reporter