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Dubai Chewy Became a Major Social Media Craze

The Dubai Chewy phenomenon grew rapidly because it offered several features that work well on social media. Its pistachio filling, chewy texture, and crunchy kataifi created a visually distinctive dessert. More importantly, limited availability made people even more curious. Customers lined up outside stores, while some locations struggled to keep enough products in stock. The craze became so intense that SBS reported complaints about imitation products. Some versions allegedly replaced kataifi with ordinary thin noodles or lacked pistachios. However, the dessert’s connection with Dubai was also unusual. According to SBS, the product was not actually a common Dubai dessert. Instead, the Korean creation was reportedly exported to Dubai around January 2026. That detail makes the story particularly interesting. Dubai Chewy became powerful largely because of its identity, visual appeal, and online momentum rather than a long culinary tradition.

Pistachio Imports Reveal How Quickly the Craze Faded

Numbers provide a clearer picture of the changing trend. South Korea imported about 372 tons of pistachios in December 2025. Imports then increased to 594 tons in January before reaching 731 tons in February 2026. Yet the direction soon changed. By July, imports had dropped to only 54 tons. That represents a decline of approximately 92.6 percent from the February peak. Import value also fell dramatically. It declined from around $15.46 million in February to roughly $990,000 in July. These figures do not represent Dubai Chewy sales directly because pistachios have many culinary uses. Nevertheless, the timing provides a strong indicator of weakening demand around the trend. Earlier Korean reports had already highlighted the same sharp decline months before the latest SBS analysis.

Kataifi Demand Followed a Similar Downward Pattern

Pistachios were not the only ingredient affected. Kataifi, which provides the dessert’s recognizable crunchy texture, followed a similar pattern. According to figures cited by SBS, import inspections involving kataifi-related products reached 340 cases in February. By June, however, that number had fallen to only 22. The decline was approximately 93.5 percent in four months. Trademark activity also weakened. Applications connected with the keyword “Dubai” fell from 23 in January to only one in June. Together, these indicators suggest that the commercial excitement surrounding Dubai Chewy cooled within a remarkably short period. In my view, this is what makes the story valuable beyond the dessert itself. Food trends can create genuine economic activity. However, businesses may face problems when they treat sudden online demand as permanent consumer behavior. A viral product can become difficult to find one month and much easier to ignore several months later.

High Prices May Have Reduced the Dessert’s Appeal

Price appears to have played an important role in the slowdown. During the peak of the craze, SBS reported that some Dubai Chewy products were selling for around 8,000 won each. Other Korean reporting noted that particularly scarce versions could exceed 10,000 won. Consumers may accept premium prices when a product feels new or difficult to obtain. However, that willingness can change when curiosity disappears. Social media trends often depend on the experience of trying something first. Once millions of viewers have already seen the filling, texture, and reaction videos, novelty becomes harder to maintain. Therefore, repeat purchases become more important. A product must then compete on taste, price, convenience, and value rather than hype alone. Dubai Chewy provides a useful example of this transition. Its initial scarcity strengthened demand, but a high price became harder to justify once the trend matured.

Small Businesses Faced a Difficult Inventory Problem

The decline also created challenges for small café operators. During the boom, pistachios and kataifi became more expensive as businesses rushed to secure supplies. Some operators placed larger overseas orders because ingredients were difficult to obtain locally. However, supply eventually expanded while consumer interest weakened. According to the chairman of South Korea’s National Cafe Owners Cooperative, some businesses were left holding expensive ingredients with limited alternative uses. Certain owners reportedly had to discard unused stock. This situation reveals one of the hidden risks behind viral food culture. Joining a trend early can bring customers and attention. Yet entering too aggressively can create losses when demand suddenly changes. Therefore, small businesses need to separate temporary online excitement from sustainable demand. The safest strategy may involve smaller inventory commitments until repeat purchases show that a product has staying power.

Tanghulu Shows This Pattern Has Happened Before

Dubai Chewy is not the first food trend in South Korea to rise quickly and then lose momentum. Tanghulu followed a comparable path. The colorful fruit snack became highly visible on social media and inspired rapid store expansion. SBS reported that Dalkom Wangga Tanghulu had 531 franchise locations nationwide by late 2023. However, only 20 official stores reportedly remained by July 2026. Other viral foods have experienced similar cycles. This pattern matters because online popularity can create the impression of lasting demand. In reality, algorithms often accelerate both discovery and saturation. Consumers see the same food repeatedly, try it once, and then search for the next unusual experience. Therefore, restaurants and cafés cannot assume that millions of views will translate into years of sales. Dubai Chewy appears to be another striking example of how quickly modern food culture can move.

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Chinese Tea Is Now Starting to Draw Attention

As interest in Dubai Chewy declines, Chinese tea is beginning to appear more frequently in South Korea’s social media conversation. SBS specifically highlighted growing attention around. Online discussion has included references to Shanghai and unusual receipt designs, helping the tea brand gain visibility. Still, it is too early to say that Chinese tea has fully replaced Dubai Chewy. The more accurate interpretation is that consumer attention appears to be shifting toward another highly shareable food and beverage experience. Tea also has one potential advantage. Unlike a novelty dessert that consumers may try only once, tea can become part of a regular routine. However, social media popularity alone cannot guarantee long-term demand. The real test will be whether consumers continue buying these drinks after the initial curiosity disappears.

Social Media Is Changing the Life Cycle of Food Trends

Modern food trends can now travel faster than traditional restaurant trends. A visually striking dessert can appear in a short video and reach millions of viewers within days. As a result, demand can rise before suppliers and businesses have enough time to react carefully. The opposite is also true. Once audiences become bored, attention can move elsewhere almost immediately. Dubai Chewy illustrates this compressed trend cycle clearly. Pistachio and kataifi demand climbed during the boom, yet both later recorded declines exceeding 90 percent from their respective peaks. Therefore, viral success should not automatically be interpreted as long-term market strength. From a business perspective, repeat purchases may matter more than views. From a consumer perspective, the story also shows how online curiosity increasingly shapes what people eat, buy, photograph, and discuss.

Chinese Tea Faces the Real Test After the Initial Hype

Chinese tea may now be enjoying fresh attention, but its longer-term position remains uncertain. That uncertainty is important. It would be premature to describe it as the definitive successor to Dubai Chewy. Instead, the current shift offers another opportunity to observe how viral food culture develops. If Chinese tea keeps attracting repeat customers after social media moves toward another trend, it could prove more durable. If demand falls quickly, the cycle may simply repeat itself. Either way, the contrast is revealing. Dubai Chewy went from scarcity and long queues to a dramatic decline in ingredient demand within months. Chinese tea is now entering the spotlight that other foods once occupied. In the fast-moving world of social media food culture, becoming viral may be relatively easy. Remaining relevant after the novelty disappears is the much harder challenge.

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