Tanghulu: Korean Gen-Z's Favorite Go-To Snack
Via Shutterstock
Tanghulu. An always delicious, always amazing, addictive snack. Found in street stalls at nearly every corner of popular Korean neighborhoods (Hongdae, Myeong-dong, etc.), tanghulu is an increasingly popular snack made of sugar syrup and real fruits or vegetables.
Tanghulu originated during the Song Dynasty (960-1279) in Northern China when the emperor’s favorite concubine fell ill. A doctor had proposed that she try eating hawthorn fruits fried in brown sugar every day for two weeks. When the concubine miraculously recovered, not only did the doctor become famous, but the antidote did as well. Tanghulu found a permanent spot on the streets of China after this occasion. Today, it is traditionally served using hawthorn berries and oftentimes given to children on Chinese New Year as a symbol of happiness.
Tanghulu was introduced to Korea by Chinese immigrants. Although it is traditionally made using hawthorn berries, Koreans typically prefer fruits such as strawberries, tangerines, grapes, sapphire grapes, etc. While it has been around for quite some time now, tanghulu has recently gained a surge in popularity. ASMR videos featuring the snack, mukbang videos, and videos of popular K-pop idols such as Blackpink’s Jennie and Jisoo and Girl’s Day’s Hyeri making the snack contributed to its recent rise in popularity. There are over 13,000 Korean hashtags in for tanghulu on Instagram.
Moreover, according to data by the Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corporation, tanghulu was the most popular search topic in the frozen and convenient food category on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and KakaoStory amongst teenagers in the first half of 2023. The number of stores under Dalkom Wang Ga Tanghulu, Korea’s primary tanghulu enterprise, increased exponentially from around 50 to 300 fromFebruary to August. There are also several accounts on social media that are specifically for tanghulu, such as @i_luv_tanghulu, @cheongdam_tanghulu, and @hoho_hulu.
Tanghulu will most likely enjoy its surplus of attention and popularity because it satisfies Korea’s love for visually appealing foods and items. Tanghulu’s shiny, vibrant, and glass-like appearance attracts Korean teenagers and makes them want to post them on social media. Many enjoy transforming the snack to make it appear more “Korean” before posting. Sung Eugene (15) reports that “tanghulu is very delicious because its sugarcoats are so pretty.” Another teenager, Ryu Hyeri (15), says that she loves tanghulu because she “loves fruits, and the outside sugar coating and texture is really good.”
Making tanghulu is a very simple task involving just three ingredients: your preferred fruit, water, and sugar. You boil the sugar until it is caramelizedto create the sugar coating. Once this is accomplished, dip the fruit in the syrup, let it sit in ice water until it freezes over, and enjoy.
When I made tanghulu at home, I found it to be extremely simple. The recipe is overall very uncomplicated, and the ingredients are fairly accessible to almost anyone who would like to attempt making it. However, one step that requires a relative amount of caution and care is the making of the sugar coating. As it does involve boiling and preventing the sugar from burning, there is a risk of getting burnt.
However, despite tanghulu being such a popular and delicious food, it can cause several health problems. The Jaseng Korean Medicine Hospital reports that too much of this particular snack can be bad for the body and provoke obesity, as one of the most prominent components is sugar. This obesity can potentially cause heart disease or damage to other primary organs. The high amounts of sugar present also has the potential to induce other major health risks such as elevated blood sugar levels, reduced immunity, and incurable chronic diseases such as diabetes. Hong Yong-hee, a professor of pediatrics at Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, reiterates this by stating that “excessively consuming such [a] sweet treat can fuel obesity in kids, which may increase the risk for other chronic diseases like diabetes and depression.”
Another potential health risk that tanghulu can cause is damaged teeth. Because of the high sugar levels and hard candy shells, people are at risk of getting cavities or fracturing their teeth. Another dental risk is the risk of Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) damage. The temporomandibular joint is the joint that connects the jawbone to the skull. When experiencing TMJ damage, one would feel pain in their jaw and the muscles controlling the jaw. This condition is caused when the hard sugar coating is not chewed properly and safely, especially if the consumer has dental prosthetics or crowns of gold or silver.
Nevertheless, tanghulu is an enjoyable snack when not eaten in excessive amounts too often. It is a delightful, savory snack that is both affordable and easy to make at home, making it easily accessible to anyone with the right ingredients.