The recent surge in prices for trending foods like “Dubai chewy cookies” and spring cabbage bibimbap reflects a growing pattern in Korea’s food scene: when a dish goes viral, its cost often rises just as quickly.

Much of this trend is driven by platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts, where visually striking desserts and café items spread rapidly, particularly among younger consumers in their 20s and 30s.

The main driver is a sudden spike in demand. Once a food gains traction online, cafés and bakeries in areas such as Seoul’s Seongsu, Hongdae, and Gangnam, as well as Busan hotspots like Jeonpo and Haeundae, begin offering their own versions.

This creates concentrated demand in specific neighborhoods known for trend-driven dining, where long lines and limited daily supply are common.

This demand surge quickly impacts ingredient prices, especially for items that are not widely used or are imported. Ingredients like kadaif pastry and pistachios are not typically stocked in large quantities in Korea, so when demand rises sharply, supply struggles to keep up.

As a result, both raw ingredient costs and final menu prices increase within a short period.

Businesses also play a role in driving prices higher. Once a product becomes popular online, shops often position it as a premium or limited item, allowing them to charge more.

Consumers, influenced by social media and the desire to try trending foods, are often willing to pay these higher prices, reinforcing the cycle.

This pattern has been seen before in Korea, including with tanghulu, where demand pushed up the price of strawberries and sugar. Analysts note that these viral food trends are typically short-lived but intense, with demand peaking quickly before moving on to the next item.

In Korea, where food trends move quickly and are closely tied to social media culture, viral foods tend to concentrate in urban café districts and among younger, trend-focused consumers.

The result is a cycle of rapid popularity, temporary shortages, and noticeable price increases across both ingredients and finished products.

Korean