After the 'Cops and Robbers' Craze Comes 'French Fry Meetups'...A New Formula for Casual Connections Among People in Their 20s and 30s

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[Financial News]#. A pile of French fries is dumped onto a tray and everyone compares the taste. They chat briefly about who fries them better and which sauce goes best. Introductions are short, and there is little talk about personal updates. Once the fries are gone, the group naturally breaks up.These so-called "French fry meetups" are rapidly gaining popularity among people in their 20s and 30s. Much like the earlier "cops and robbers" street game, complete strangers gather around a single activity—eating French fries—and then disperse almost immediately. Experts predict that taste-based meetups designed to minimize the burden of relationships are likely to grow for some time.
According to reporting by Financial News on the 19th, French fry meetups are spreading mainly through secondhand trading and neighborhood community platforms. A simple post such as "Looking for people who like French fries" is shared, along with a suggested venue like McDonald's, Lotteria, or another nearby fast-food outlet. These gatherings are now being organized across the country, including Songpa, Gangnam, and Seongbuk districts in Seoul, as well as Pangyo, Yongin, Daegu, and Busan.
There is no specific purpose or achievement goal. Participants simply dump the fries together and eat, or compare them by brand or thickness. Some groups have even started events that offer mobile gift vouchers to those who prove they took part. In the past month alone, several large French fry meetup groups have attracted anywhere from hundreds to thousands of members.
This trend is closely linked to the earlier craze for the "cops and robbers" street game. However, unlike that game—which drew criticism over noise, mistaken emergency calls, and potential confusion for law enforcement—French fry meetups are seen as a format that minimizes risk while also reducing the emotional burden of relationships.
Participants overwhelmingly say they like being able to "meet lightly and end lightly." Park, a 29-year-old office worker living in Seongbuk District in Seoul, remarked, "Sometimes it's awkward to eat alone, but it's also exhausting to make plans with someone." Park added, "When the only common ground is that we like French fries, we can just meet, eat, and then each go our own way, so there is no pressure." Kim, a 33-year-old resident of Pangyo, also said with a smile, "It's actually more comfortable because there is no pressure to become close." 
Online, people are responding with comments like, "French fry meetups are great because the participation requirements aren't strict" and "It's comforting that they don't demand anything special." Analysts say this structure aligns with the relationship strategies of people in their 20s and 30s: it minimizes the emotional drain and responsibility that come with forming relationships, yet still allows for light connections when needed.
Experts note that French fry meetups represent a new way to communicate without the pressure of maintaining deep, ongoing relationships. Because these gatherings are built around taste-based consumption and clear shared interests, they can satisfy the desire for interaction without the complexity of forming close ties.
\r\nKeumjoo Kwak, a professor in the Department of Psychology at Seoul National University, explained, "Human beings fundamentally want to form relationships, but they also feel fatigue from those relationships." She added, "As solo activities like eating alone or going to the movies alone have increased, these kinds of meetups offer a way to ease loneliness without letting relationships deepen too much."
Many observers expect second and third waves of French fry-style meetups to spread. Professor Kwak said, "The more people feel worn out by existing relationships or workplace ties, the more informal gatherings with clear purposes and short durations will continue to grow," adding, "This kind of format may become established as a practical behavioral pattern among younger generations."
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yesji@fnnews.com Yeji Kim Reporter