The growing cultural phenomenon known as "Tteokjisunrye"—a compound word combining tteok (rice cake) and pilgrimage, describing the trend of food enthusiasts traveling to famous local rice cake shops—is breathing new life into South Korea's traditional dessert market. Driven by this craze, major retail-tech platforms are witnessing an unprecedented boom in traditional snack sales.

According to Kurly, a leading retail-tech corporation in South Korea, the transaction volume for the rice cake and traditional confectionery (hangwa) category surged by approximately two times over the recent three-month period from June to August compared to the same period last year. This remarkable growth highlights a broader shift in consumer preferences, as younger generations and modern foodies increasingly embrace heritage foods as trendy, Instagram-worthy delicacies rather than outdated holiday-only treats.

Among individual items, pumpkin injeolmi (chewy rice cakes coated in sweet pumpkin bean powder) from the renowned brand Chang-eok recorded the most explosive growth, with its transaction volume skyrocketing by 336% year-on-year, claiming the top spot in the rice cake sector. Additionally, pizza-seolgi, a fusion rice cake that has recently captured widespread attention online, successfully entered the platform's top tier within just two weeks of its mid-month launch, demonstrating the immense popularity of creative traditional updates.

Traditional sweets such as yakgwa (honey pastries), yakbab (sweet glutinous rice), and jeonbyeong (traditional rice crackers) also experienced a 123% surge in transaction volume. Best-selling items included pumpkin yakgwa from "Mat-ui Gosu," yakbab from "Maeum-i Ga," and peanut jeonbyeong from "PNB," reflecting a robust consumer appetite for authentic flavors combined with trusted local craftsmanship. 

In response to this surging demand over the past year, Kurly has expanded its rice cake and hangwa product lineup by an impressive 80%. Building on this momentum, the platform has designated traditional snacks as the core theme for its "Rare Value Project" this month. Through this initiative, Kurly is introducing exceptional culinary works, including honey yakgwa by master artisan Kim Kyu-hyun, traditional gangjeong and yuwa from Sunmi Hangwa, and exclusive five-color songpyeon from Dongbyeong-sangryeon. Furthermore, special traditional snack gift sets have been curated ahead of the Chuseok harvest holiday, aligning cultural heritage with modern gifting trends.

A Kurly representative noted that the sustained enthusiasm sparked by the "Tteokjisunrye" trend is accelerating the overall expansion of the traditional snack market. The company plans to continuously unearth and introduce diverse traditional delicacies to satisfy modern palates while preserving Korea's rich culinary heritage.

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