Dalgona Candy

Even though the Squid Game series has concluded, its popularity hasn't waned, with the director now embarking on filming Season 2. If you watched the first season, you would have seen the Dalgona candy featured prominently in the second game, where players had to meticulously carve out the Dalgona shape from a circle. This tense scene became a globally famous moment, leading to an explosive surge in Dalgona candy sales in South Korea.

What is Dalgona: A Candy of Childhood Memories

Dalgona (달고나) is a local South Korean confection. It's a thin, round candy with various shapes imprinted in the center, such as an umbrella, Christmas tree, star, or heart. When bitten, it offers a delightful crunch and a sweet, caramelized aroma, a distinctive characteristic.

In Korea, Dalgona is cherished as a nostalgic treat. During the 1960s, Korea was heavily affected by the war, making ice cream and chocolate too expensive for most to afford. As a result, locals developed an inexpensive alternative using only a few ingredients: Dalgona, made simply from sugar and baking soda, readily available and affordable.

The Origin and Evolution of Dalgona

The origin of Dalgona is believed to be in Busan. Originally, glucose blocks were melted in a ladle over a fire, then baking soda was added and stirred until a crispy sugar candy formed. However, in those early days, the candy had a porous, honeycomb-like texture and no central imprint. Later, regular sugar was used instead, as it didn't stick to metal plates and resulted in a less porous candy. Additionally, various molds were introduced to create appealing shapes, making Dalgona more beautiful and attractive to children.

"Ppopgi": A Fun Game for Korean Children

Dalgona became incredibly popular, especially among children. In Korea, there was a charming tradition: if a child could perfectly separate the candy along the imprinted shape without breaking it, they would receive another Dalgona for free as a prize. This rule created much excitement and challenge for the children, making them try their best to perfectly extract the Dalgona shape. In Korea, Dalgona is also known as Ppopgi (뽑기), which means "pick it out," likely referring to the act of carefully removing the candy after carving it without breaking.

Dalgona Street Stalls: Memories of 1970s Childhood

In the past, Dalgona vendors were common on Korean streets. Some even had portable charcoal stoves, allowing children to try making Dalgona themselves. This was a popular pastime for children of that era because most homes at the time lacked proper baking equipment, and owning an oven was considered a luxury. Thus, during this period, children would flock to the streets to make Dalgona, creating a lively and charming scene of childhood.

The Resurgence of Popularity from Squid Game

As the 21st century began, the Korean economy recovered and developed rapidly. Households gained more purchasing power, enabling them to buy ovens and baking equipment for their homes. Consequently, Dalgona street stalls gradually disappeared, along with the joyful childhood memories associated with making this candy.

However, Dalgona recently experienced an explosive resurgence in popularity due to the global series Squid Game. The show incorporated Dalgona, a piece of Korean culture, into a survival game. After the series concluded, Dalgona candy sold incredibly well both domestically and internationally. It is said that the director chose Dalgona for the game to make viewers feel more immersed and entertained by the series, as if revisiting their own childhood memories. This transformed Dalgona into a "soft power" phenomenon that gained worldwide fame almost overnight, generating immense economic and cultural value for this simple traditional candy.