I still remember standing in my kitchen, whisking instant coffee like my life depended on it.
It was during that phase when everyone was making Dalgona coffee. You’d see it everywhere, TikTok, Instagram, even group chats. Someone would send a video and suddenly you felt like you had to try it too. I didn’t even like instant coffee that much, but there I was, mixing sugar, coffee, and hot water until my arm started to ache.
The first time I got that thick, fluffy foam right, I actually felt proud (It didn’t even taste that amazing, if I’m being honest.) Slightly bitter, slightly sweet, but the experience was what made it memorable. It was something we all did at the same time, even if we were all stuck in different places.
Then came the Buldak spicy noodle challenge.
I remember thinking it wouldn’t be that bad. It was just noodles, right? The first few bites were fine, then the heat built up quickly. That kind of spice that doesn’t just sit on your tongue, it stays. I had a drink ready, but it barely helped. Daniel was laughing at me so much back then about how I couldn’t handle the heat; still, I finished it, mostly out of stubbornness. Looking back, it wasn’t about enjoying the noodles. It was about seeing if you could handle it, and maybe filming your reaction for fun.
And then there was the Ppogi aka. the Squid Game Sugar Candy.
That one felt different. Less about taste, more about patience. Trying to carve out the shape without breaking it, hands slightly sticky, sugar cracking at the edges. It was frustrating in a quiet way. You’d focus, hold your breath, and hope the piece didn’t snap at the last second. Some of us tried it once and gave up. Some tried again just to get it right. Whichever you chose to do, both are a valid choice.
What I think about now isn’t whether these trends were actually good. Most of them were simple, even a bit messy. But they gave us something to do, something to talk about. It felt like everyone was part of the same moment, even if it only lasted a few weeks.
Now, we’ve moved on to other trends, new drinks, new snacks, new places to try. But every now and then, I’ll see an old video or a photo, and it brings me back. Not to the food itself, but to how it felt at that time.
There’s something nice about that. Knowing that even small, temporary trends can leave behind memories we didn’t expect to keep.
“Some moments fade, but the feeling of being part of them stays.”
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