If you’ve been scrolling Korean Instagram or TikTok lately, chances are you’ve seen it: a thick cookie covered in cocoa powder oozing with pistachio cream, and an almost unreal chewiness. Known locally as “du-jjon-ku” (두쫀쿠) – short for Dubai chewy cookie – this dessert has quickly become one of Korea’s hottest food trends, turning bakeries into viral destinations and sparking long open-run lines across Seoul and beyond.

From Dubai Chocolate to a Nationwide Obsession

© Fix Dessert Chocolatier

The story begins with Dubai chocolate, a luxury dessert trend that swept Korea in 2024. Dubai chocolate typically features rich milk or dark chocolate filled with pistachio cream and crispy kataifi (shredded phyllo dough) – a combination that delivers both indulgent sweetness and addictive texture. Originating from high-end dessert shops in Dubai, this chocolate quickly gained attention for its lavish look and Middle Eastern flavor profile.

In Korea, Dubai chocolate became a social media phenomenon. Influencers, idols, and food creators posted glossy cross-section shots revealing vibrant green pistachio filling, while pop-up stores sold out within minutes. Specialty cafés released limited editions, department stores hosted short-term booths, and resale prices soared online. For many Koreans, Dubai chocolate symbolized global luxury reinterpreted through dessert – and it set the stage for what came next.

How Dubai Chewy Cookie Became a Thing

© Lotte Wellfood

Korean bakers took the core elements of Dubai chocolate – pistachio cream, deep cocoa flavor, and layered textures – and merged them with Korea’s love for thick, ultra-chewy glutinous rice dough. The result was du-jjon-ku: a cookie that’s soft and stretchy on the outside, and sweet and crisp inside, often filled or topped with pistachio cream or kataifi crunch.

Unlike classic Western cookies, Korean chewy cookies emphasize density and rice cake-like chewiness, making them perfect for dramatic break-apart videos. Visually striking and intensely rich, Dubai chewy cookies quickly became ideal content for short-form platforms, accelerating their popularity at lightning speed.

Celebrities and Social Media Fuel the Craze

© Instagram @for_everyoung10

The trend truly exploded after IVE’s Jang Won-young shared the dessert on Instagram in September. Her post instantly propelled du-jjon-ku into must-try status, transforming it from a niche bakery item into a nationwide obsession. Since then, tens of thousands of Instagram posts have featured Dubai chewy cookies, with hashtags dedicated entirely to the trend.

© The Korea Herald

In trendy neighborhoods like Seongsu, Apgujeong, and Hannam, early-morning open-run purchases became routine. Bakeries introduced daily limits, numbered tickets, and strict per-person caps just to manage demand. For many fans, securing a box of du-jjon-ku became as exciting as eating it.

Dubai Chewy Cookie-Inspired Desserts Everywhere

As with most Korean food trends, imitation quickly turned into innovation. The success of du-jjon-ku inspired a wave of Dubai chocolate cookie–themed desserts, blurring the line between novelty and culinary creativity.

You’ll now find:

   ● Dubai chocolate cookie coffee, topped with pistachio cream foam

© Instagram @dubai_yeosu

   ● Dubai chocolate cookie fishbread (붕어빵) with molten filling

© Instagram @yogurtpurple_

   ● Dubai chocolate cookie yakgwa, reimagining the traditional Korean honey cookie

© Instagram @yogurtpurple_

   ● Dubai chocolate cookie steamed buns, combining East Asian comfort food with Middle Eastern flavors

© Instagram @cafe_hazbakery

   ● Dubai chocolate cookie towel cakes, designed to look like folded fabric when sliced

© Instagram @dalcomhan.yul

   ● and even Dubai cookie-flavored pizza, proving that no category is off-limits once a trend goes viral.

© Instagram @harutasty

And that’s just the beginning. From convenience stores to luxury cafés, everyone is racing to put their own spin on the Dubai chewy cookie aesthetic.

Try It While You Can

© cookatmarket

If you’re currently in Korea—or planning a visit soon—don’t miss the Dubai chewy cookie craze. Korean food trends move fast, and what dominates social media today may quietly disappear tomorrow. Du-jjon-ku perfectly captures Korea’s ability to absorb global influences and reinvent them in playful, visually stunning ways. And if there’s one rule of Korean food culture to remember, it’s this: when a trend is hot, try it now – before it’s gone.