Dalgona Ppopgi (Dalgona Candy)

Sugar Candy from the Alleyway (Korea's Street Candy)

Dalgona is a representative Korean street snack that was sold on pushcarts in front of schools in the 1970s and 80s. When an elderly vendor melted sugar in a ladle, mixed in baking soda, flattened it, and stamped a star, heart, or umbrella shape, children had to carve out the shape with a toothpick without breaking the line. If you failed, you had to return the whole piece.

The Challenge Revived by Netflix (The Global TikTok Moment)

Immediately after the release of <Squid Game>, the Dalgona challenge took over TikTok worldwide. Videos of people carving out the shapes with needles recorded billions of views, and Dalgona kits were released in Korean convenience stores, becoming a must-buy item for foreign tourists.

Make It at Home (Make It at Home)

• Place 2 tablespoons of sugar in a ladle and melt completely over low heat — do not stir, or it will crystallize.
• Turn off the heat, add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda, and stir quickly 10 times until it puffs up.
• Pour onto a baking sheet and flatten it thin by pressing with a flat-bottomed cup.
• Stamp a shape with a cookie cutter, let it cool, and challenge yourself to trace the line with a toothpick!