dalgona

Dalgona is a traditional South Korean honeycomb toffee candy. It is made by melting sugar and adding a small amount of baking soda, which causes it to foam and expand. The mixture is then poured onto a flat surface and pressed flat before it hardens. It has a distinct sweet, slightly caramelized flavor and a brittle, airy texture.

The candy is often made at street stalls in South Korea, where vendors demonstrate the process to customers. A popular element of buying dalgona is the imprinted shape in the center. Customers are challenged to carefully break away the candy around the imprinted shape without cracking the shape itself. Successfully eating around the shape is considered a sign of good luck.

Dalgona gained significant international popularity in 2020 and 2021, largely due to its prominent feature in the South Korean television series "Squid Game." The show depicted a life-or-death challenge involving the candy, further boosting its global recognition. This surge in interest led to many people attempting to make dalgona at home, often sharing their results on social media platforms. The candy is also sometimes referred to as "ppopgi" in Korean, which means "to pick" or "to pull," referring to the act of separating the shape.