2024
4 viral foods
- • Dubai-style pistachio kunafa chocolate
- • Mala-tang (build-your-own spicy hotpot)
- • Rosé tteokbokki (cream + chili sauce)
- • London Bagel Museum bagels
Viral foods
Eat & drink
Viral Korean foods
The foods foreigners see on social media and then go looking for: 7 trend items with what they are, allergens, and where to find them — named shops only where we could confirm them on a first-party page.
Checked 2026-09-25. Year = roughly when the item peaked in Korea (editorial). Prices and queues change weekly, so we do not list them — check Naver Map.
By year (waves of viral)
2023
3 viral foods
- • Tanghulu (sugar-glazed fruit skewers)
- • Korean corn dog (hot dog)
- • Knotted cream donuts
All viral foods — filter + sort + search
7 results
London Bagel Museum bagels
런던베이글뮤지엄
☕ Cafe specialty★★★★ · 2024
Bagels made the traditional way (fermented, boiled, then baked) with many flavours; the jambon butter sandwich is the signature.
Where to find best:
- London Bagel Museum Anguk (main store)Jongno-gu (Bukchon)20 Bukchon-ro 4-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul — 08:00–18:00, open year-round (KTO)Cab card →Naver reviews ↗Source ↗
Allergens: gluten, milk
Tip: Queues are the norm — arrive around opening time, and combine it with a Bukchon walk.
Dubai-style pistachio kunafa chocolate
두바이 초콜릿
🍰 Dessert★★★ · 2024
Thick chocolate filled with pistachio cream and crispy kunafa pastry. Korean shops also spun it into cookies and other desserts.
Where to find best:
- Dessert cafés and bakeriesMost neighbourhoods — search 두바이 on Naver Map
- Convenience stores (limited releases)Nationwide — releases come and go
Allergens: milk, tree nut (pistachio), gluten, soy
Tip: Versions vary a lot in quality and price — check photos and recent reviews on Naver Map before queuing.
Knotted cream donuts
노티드 도넛
🍰 Dessert★★★ · 2023
Soft brioche-style donuts filled with cream; the milk cream donut is the signature.
Where to find best:
- Knotted at HiKR Ground (5F)Jung-gu (Cheonggyecheon)40 Cheonggyecheon-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul — 5F open daily 10:00–20:00 (KTO)Cab card →Naver reviews ↗Source ↗
Allergens: gluten, milk, egg
Tip: HiKR Ground is an all-in-one Korea-experience building (per KTO); the café overlooks Cheonggyecheon stream. Most of the building closes on Mondays, but the 5F tourist information centre and café open every day.
Korean corn dog (hot dog)
핫도그
🍢 Street snack★★★ · 2023
Sausage and/or mozzarella on a stick in a thick batter, sometimes rolled in potato cubes, fried, then finished with sugar and sauces.
Where to find best:
- Myungrang Hot Dog (명랑핫도그, chain)Branches nationwide — see the official siteCab card →Naver reviews ↗Source ↗
- Street stalls and marketsMost markets and shopping streets
Allergens: gluten, milk, egg
Tip: The sugar coating is optional — say 설탕 빼 주세요 (no sugar, please) if you want it plain.
Mala-tang (build-your-own spicy hotpot)
마라탕
🌶 Fusion★★★ · 2024
Pick vegetables, meats, tofu and noodles into a bowl, pay by weight, and it is cooked in a numbing-spicy broth.
Where to find best:
- Mala-tang shopsCommon around universities and shopping streets
Allergens: soy, sesame, gluten, peanut (some sauces)
Tip: Most shops let you choose a spice level — start with the mildest; Korean "medium" is hot.
Rosé tteokbokki (cream + chili sauce)
로제 떡볶이
🌶 Fusion★★★ · 2024
Rice cakes in a creamy, milder chili sauce. Often ordered with glass noodles, cheese or fried sides.
Where to find best:
- Yupdduk (동대문엽기떡볶이, chain) — has a rosé menuBranches nationwide, mostly delivery / takeawayCab card →Naver reviews ↗Source ↗
- Bunsik shopsMost neighbourhoods
Allergens: gluten, milk, soy
Tip: Pick "로제" (rosé) for the milder cream version — Yupdduk's original red sauce is very spicy — the chain's own slogan is 맛있게 맵다 (deliciously spicy).
Tanghulu (sugar-glazed fruit skewers)
탕후루
🍢 Street snack★★ · 2023
Skewered fruit (strawberry, grape, tangerine…) dipped in a hard sugar shell that cracks like glass.
Where to find best:
- Tanghulu shops and street stallsBusy shopping streets (Myeongdong, Hongdae…) — fewer than at the peak
Tip: Eat it soon after buying — the sugar shell turns sticky as it warms. Carry a wet wipe.