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Recently, “Shanghai butter tteok” has bubbled up as the latest dessert obsession on social media, arriving just as the once-hot Dubai chewy cookie (dujjjonku) cooled off. Food brands are already scrambling to get on board, though plenty of people roll their eyes and call it a forced, social-media–driven fad.
Butter tteok is said to have originated in Shanghai. Bakers mix glutinous rice flour and tapioca starch, fold in milk and butter, then bake the dough until the outside is crisp and the inside is chewy. Its contrast of textures is what’s winning fans, and—like dujjjonku—word of mouth is spreading fast across social platforms and online communities.
The food industry has reacted quickly after feeling dujjjonku’s ripple effect. On the 14th, industry sources said SPC Group’s bakery brand Fashion Five launched a product called “butter jjondeuk tteok.” Ediya Coffee has been selling a condensed-milk–drizzled “butter jjondeuk mochi” since the end of last month. Both items reportedly sold out shortly after they hit shelves.
If butter tteok keeps its momentum, expect other bakery chains and convenience stores to roll out their own takes. When dujjjonku trended, big franchises like Paris Baguette, Starbucks and Twosome Place were quick to follow with similar offerings.
Still, critics argue that some of the buzz is manufactured by influencers. On online forums, people post comments like, “I didn’t even know about this, but suddenly it’s a trend,” and “Retailers and influencers are colluding to create fake trends,” reflecting a skeptical, let’s-not-get-swept-away attitude.
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