InterviewTteokbokki simmers around world at Dookki restaurants
SEONGNAM, Gyeonggi Province — Tteokbokki, a rice cake dish simmered in sweet and spicy pepper paste, was at first notorious for its chewy texture that confused non-Koreans. Some disgruntled consumers complained, wondering how they were supposed to eat something with that consistency. That was the reality for what many Koreans consider a comfort food and one of the most representative street foods here. Tteokbokki raises the question: If it is so deeply rooted in Korean society, how does it fare abroad? Kim Kwan-hoon, chief marketing officer at Dareun which operates tteokbokki franchise restaurant brand Dookki here and outside Korea, understood the challenge. His answer was to add grandeur to the food, camouflaging the mouthfeel with culinary tricks and presenting an enjoyable dining experience. “Tteokbokki has been my comfort food since I was a kid. But to foreigners, serving it as street food is a no-no. Nine out of 10 Westerners found rice cakes very difficult to eat, unsure when to stop chewing and swallow. To get to them, it should instead be a proper meal in an upscale restaura
Jun 3, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan
