As Dujjonku and bomdong bibimbap go viral on social media, prices surge with the trend

[Financial News] A survey has found that the prices of foods that gained popularity on social media platforms, such as Dubai Chewy Cookie (known as Dujjonku) and bomdong bibimbap, surged after they went viral.
According to the Korea Price Information Association, a professional price research agency, on the 16th, the prices of key ingredients and finished products for trendy foods like Dujjonku and bomdong bibimbap rose noticeably before and after they became popular.
The survey showed that the price of kadaif (500g), the main ingredient in Dujjonku, jumped 68.3%, from 18,900 won before the trend to 31,800 won. The price of pistachio (400g) also increased by 33.3%. In particular, the retail price of a finished Dujjonku product was found to have risen 2.2 times.
As bomdong bibimbap became a fad, the price of bomdong (spring cabbage, 1kg), a seasonal vegetable, also climbed sharply.
bomdong, which previously cost 4,500 won, rose 33.3% after the trend to reach the 6,000-won range. The price of a single serving of bomdong bibimbap as a finished dish increased from 8,000 won to 12,000 won, a 50% jump.
A similar pattern was seen in the past when Tanghulu became popular nationwide.
At that time, the price of strawberry (500g) climbed 50%, from 10,000 won to 15,000 won, and the price of sugar (1kg) rose 20.5%. The price of one finished Tanghulu product surged from 1,500 won to 3,500 won, about 2.3 times higher.
Lee Dong-hoon, Head of Pricing and Cost Information, Korea Price Information, noted, "The rapid spread of specific foods through social media triggers a short-term concentration of demand and becomes a factor that heightens market volatility." He also urged, "Consumers should take into account price increases driven by temporary fads and make more rational spending decisions."
newssu@fnnews.com Kim Soo-yeon Reporter