On September 21, in the basement level of Lotte Department Store in Sogong-dong, Seoul, the Han Jeong-seon store specializing in fruit rice cakes was bustling with customers, even on a weekday afternoon. As I joined the end of the line, I thought, 'Isn't the line shorter than I expected?' But a staff member pointed me to a sign indicating the actual waiting area, which wrapped around the corner and extended to the back of the basement.
After about five minutes in line, I heard announcements from the staff: "All strawberry products are sold out!" and "Peach yogurt is sold out!" Each announcement elicited sighs from various parts of the queue. It took me over 30 minutes to place my order and more than seven minutes to receive my rice cake after getting my number. A 40-minute wait was considered relatively good. At the bustling Seongsu flagship store, customers must first register at a kiosk, and by the time I visited at 4:30 PM, the registration was already closed.
Han Jeong-seon's signature fruit rice cakes differ from traditional ones filled with red bean paste, as they feature whole fruits like strawberries, pineapples, kiwis, and tangerines. They also offer variations with yogurt, chocolate, and mugwort. Priced between 4,000 and 6,500 won each, they are not cheap, but their traditional packaging and colorful cross-sections have sparked interest on social media, creating a trend.
The waiting crowd primarily consisted of the trend-sensitive 2030 generation. A 22-year-old college student, Kim, said, "I was curious about how delicious they must be to be this popular, so I came to buy some myself. My friends wondered if it was worth the wait, but after trying them, I was satisfied." A 28-year-old office worker, Choi, who took a day off to visit from Cheongju, remarked, "I came to Seoul just to try these. Considering it an experience, I don't think it's too expensive."
This tteok trend is not limited to famous franchise brands. The popularity of modernized tteok, starting with the pizza tteok from Yeongdo Bridge Tteokbang in Busan, has led to long lines at traditional markets as well.
On September 19, I visited Kkachisan Market in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, where a long line formed midway through the alley for the 'Future Tteok Shop.' The display featured unique items like mango tteok, strawberry tteok, cookies and cream tteok, chocolate tteok, and Lotus tteok. Even before noon, popular items among the younger crowd, like chocolate tteok and Lotus tteok, were already sold out.
A housewife I met there said, "I've been coming to this tteok shop for decades, but this is the first time I've seen young people waiting in line to buy them this year," reflecting the changing atmosphere.
Changes in tteok consumption patterns are also evident in online data. According to the big data analysis platform Sumtrend, mentions of 'tteok pilgrimage' in blog posts surged to 1,077 in the past month, a 2,278% increase compared to the same period last year. In contrast, mentions of traditional tteok types like 'doltteok' and 'thank-you tteok' only increased by 0.47% and 31.42%, respectively. Tteok, once ordered in bulk for holidays and events, is now being consumed as a trendy dessert, with people visiting stores to try unique flavors.
The retail industry is also expanding related products and events to capitalize on the tteok craze. GS25 collaborated with Han Jeong-seon to launch 'Han Jeong-seon Yogurt Rice Cake,' which sold over 380,000 units within 13 days, achieving a 100% sales rate. A pop-up event for Gwangju's 'Chang-eok Tteok' at The Hyundai Seoul attracted over 10,000 visitors in a week, while a 'tteok pilgrimage' event at Lotte Department Store in Jamsil drew more than 20,000 customers.
Experts analyze that the fusion of traditional snacks with modern tastes and visual appeal has driven the tteok trend. Lee Eun-hee, a professor of consumer studies at Inha University, stated, "The combination of rarity, visual appeal, and the pursuit of new experiences in consumer trends has made fusion dessert tteok popular. It has evolved into a dessert culture that goes beyond merely satisfying hunger to consuming experiences and preferences."
However, despite this trend, the number of traditional tteok shops in neighborhoods continues to decline. According to data from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the number of operating tteok shops in Seoul decreased from 1,186 at the end of 2021 to 1,021 as of September this year, a drop of about 165 shops (13.9%). Since 2021, the number of closures has exceeded new openings each year, with 42 shops closing this year alone.
Yoo Kyung-bae, president of the Korea Traditional Tteok Industry Association, remarked, "The recent fusion tteok trend, which combines new flavors and forms, is positive as it competes with foreign desserts and expands our tteok industry. I hope this trend improves young people's perceptions of tteok and that government support for automation systems will facilitate the continuous influx of new talent into the industry."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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