Search interest in Dubai chewy cookies fell to half its peak in just 17 days, according to an analysis of Naver Data Lab data released Sunday.
First launched by dessert brand Mont Cookie in April, the Dubai chewy cookie took off nationwide in December. However, the surge in search interest was short-lived, showing how quickly dessert trends burn out in Korea.
Experts attribute the faster rise and fall of trends largely to social media-driven consumption. Desserts are bought less for taste and more for their value as visual proof online. Attention shifts quickly after photos are posted.
Many consumers noticed the slowdown offline before the data was released Sunday.
Park Hyo-yeon, 38, who works in Jongno-gu, recalled that just a week ago, people lined up for Dubai chewy cookies at a Paris Croissant bakery near her office.
“On Wednesday, there was no line at all. I could walk in and buy one,” Park said.
Kang Na-yeon, 28, who works in Jamsil, southern Seoul, said she had also noticed the trend was dying out.
“A store that used to limit purchases to two per person has now switched to unlimited sales, so we were able to order some to share at the office,” Kang said. “I think most people who were curious had already tried it and moved on.”
The analysis also found that over the past five years, the lifespan of dessert trends has shrunk to about one-tenth of what it once was.
Croffles, a hybrid of a waffle and a croissant popular in Korea from 2020 to 2021, took 163 days for search interest to fall by half.
By comparison, Chinese candied fruit tanghulu’s popularity in 2023 dropped by half in 54 days, while Dubai chocolate in 2024 lasted only 13 days.
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