Dubai chocolate bar (Fix Dessert Chocolatier)


In a trend cycle where tastes shift as fast as an algorithm refreshes, it has become rare for any single dessert to dominate for long. The quick rise and fall of tanghulu, or candied fruit — once everywhere, now nearly gone — is a textbo 바다이야기사이트 ok example. So when “Dubai chocolate” first hit Korean social media feeds in December 2023, many expected it to flare up and disappear just as quickly.
Instead, it has become a full-fledged 골드몽릴게임 dessert category.
A year after sweeping the domestic market, Dubai chocolate has returned with renewed force thanks to its “second-generation” lineup — and this time, Generation Z is leading 야마토게임장 the charge. The phenomenon traces back to the United Arab Emirates–based dessert brand Fix Dessert Chocolatier, whose pistachio kadaif chocolate went viral after an Emirati influencer posted it on so 바다이야기오리지널 cial media in December 2023.



Ive's Jang Wonyoung shares Dubai chocolate chewy cookies on her Instagram story (Instagram)


바다이야기부활 Idols pour fuel on fire
The frenzy accelerated when K-pop star Jang Wonyoung posted a photo of Dubai chewy cookies on social media. Known for her love of Dubai chocolate — she once joked on YouTube that she could “fly to Dubai just to eat it” — her endorsement sent fans rushing to stores and dessert shops.
This Dubai chewy cookie owes its popularity to its texture and striking appearance. Wrapped in cocoa-dusted marshmallow dough and filled with pistachio spread and kadaif, it offers a new kind of “cross-section beauty” that performs well on social platforms.
Palette Dessert, the shop Wonyoung bought the dessert from, quickly became a hot spot, with lines running out the door and purchase limits instituted. A pop-up at Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam also saw long waits. The 5,300 won cookie traded on secondhand markets for some 7,500 to 8,000 won.



Dubai chewy cookie (Instagram)


Other idols have amplified the trend. Fromis_9's Baek Jiheon posted a video of herself making Dubai chewy cookies, further accelerating interest across fan communities.
Demand has grown so intense that some independent bakeries now open reservation slots only on select days — and those reservations sell out within minutes. One customer waiting in line outside a dessert shop in Seoul captured the sentiment.
“Because the orders keep flooding in, dessert shops selling Dubai chewy cookies now set specific dates for taking orders and only accept reservations online. But even that is so competitive that getting one feels like winning the lottery,” said the 27-year-old sweet lover.
"There’s a shop in my neighborhood that makes them with whole, premium ingredients and sells them for an eye-watering 8,000 won each, yet they sell out within three hours. I tried it once and got hooked — I feel like all my money goes there now."



Screen capture from “Woman Who Eats 10 Dubai Chewy Cookies at a Time” by YouTuber Baby Pig Rabbit (YouTube)


Social media makes craze unstoppable
On YouTube, the trend has picked up even more speed.
A mukbang video titled “Woman Who Eats 10 Dubai Chewy Cookies at a Time” by Baby Pig Rabbit has surpassed 1.3 million views, while cooking channel Weird Sweets Shop, with 1.52 million subscribers, has accumulated more than 2.74 million views for its Dubai chewy cookie tutorial.



Dubai crepe at Crepe Boy in Seochon, Seoul (Hong Yoo/ The Korea Herald)


A newer viral hit is the Dubai crepe sold in Seoul’s Seochon village. At a small shop called Crepe Boy, the dessert layers a thin, crisp crepe with Nutella and generous gobs of pistachio kadaif spread. The spot has become popular enough to attract weekend lines, with many visitors sipping coffee in the spacious, pet-friendly cafe. At 7,500 won, the crepe’s combination of crisp kadaif and rich sweetness has been heaped with praise.



Dubai chocolate items at convenience store CU (BGF Retail)


Convenience stores become treasure hunts
Convenience store operators say they have expanded Dubai-style offerings to meet the moment. “Gen Z customers have sensitive palates,” one industry official said. "With differentiated dessert items that align with these trends, we aim to improve customer satisfaction."
Domestic retailers have been swept into the craze. At GS25, sales of Dubai-related desserts last month jumped 144.9 percent compared with the same period in January. CU, which introduced three Dubai chocolate items on Oct. 15, reported cumulative sales of 820,000 by Nov. 24.
The only reason the numbers are not higher is that supply simply cannot keep up.
In many neighborhoods, customers visit multiple locations only to find empty shelves. On CU’s preorder app PocketCU, “Dubai chewy glutinous rice cake” topped search rankings, with “Dubai” also taking the fourth spot as of Wednesday.
Among convenience-store offerings, CU’s Dubai chewy glutinous rice cake has emerged as a standout — delicious enough to spark its own following. Those who manage to secure one often rave about the sensory experience. As one shopper describes, “When you bite into the chocolate-coated shell, it snaps with a satisfying crunch. Then the chewy chocolate rice cake fills your mouth, packed with kadaif and finely chopped pistachios.”
Because it’s sold chilled, many recommend letting it soften at room temperature for the best flavor. At 3,100 won, it’s “about the size of a small egg, gone in two bites,” but still far more affordable than handmade Dubai chocolate desserts, which have surged in price.
So why has Dubai chocolate endured longer than most viral sweets? According to Lee Eun-hee, a consumer studies professor at Inha University, the answer lies in both innovation and influence.
“Chocolate as a dessert has been loved for many years, and it will continue to be. If it keeps coming out in these transformed forms, consumers will keep seeking it. And young generations today often follow specific personalities or content creators, which we see playing out here,” she said.
For now, Dubai chocolate shows no signs of fading. If anything, the craze has grown far beyond bars, evolving into a culture, a collectible and, for many, an irresistible habit.