"The Flavor That Won Over Ahn Yujin" Now at Convenience Stores... 500,000 Units Sold Out in 5 Days, What's Behind the Craze?

The Show's Trending Recipe Released as an Official Product

500,000 Initial Units Sell Out in Five Days

Online Mall Sells Out in 18 Hours

Emergency Additional Production Begins amid Nationwide Shortage

A dessert that gained attention after being featured on a tvN variety show has been launched as an actual product and is causing a supply shortage. Lotte Wellfood’s collaborative product, which incorporates the menu from the broadcast into its existing product lineup, sold out its entire initial batch of 500,000 units within just five days of release. In addition, all stocks for the pre-order sale on the official online mall were also sold out within 18 hours. On social networking services (SNS), buyers are posting proof that they visited multiple convenience stores to find the product and are sharing tips on checking stock, marking a rare case of rapid viral success in the frozen dessert industry.

Ive's An Yujin participated in the tasting at the time. tvN 'Uju Tteokjip'

The Show’s Recipe Becomes an Actual Product

The product’s origin traces back to the recently aired tvN variety show 'Uju Tteokjip.' On August 21, cast member Lee Eunji, while eating ice cream, commented, “This reminds me of something. Do we have a machine to make this kind of glutinous rice cake?” The cast then poured black sesame milk into a Torong-shaped mold, froze it, and added injeolmi syrup and glutinous rice cake to create a new menu item.

Glutinous Rice Cake Ice Cream IN Ujooddeokjip Black Sesame Injeolmi. Screenshot from YouTube channel 'Kim Pompu'

During the tasting segment, An Yujin from the group Ive tried a bite and was unable to speak, simply smiling in satisfaction—a scene that piqued viewers’ curiosity.

Subsequently, Lotte Wellfood reinterpreted the menu from the show into its familiar ‘Glutinous Rice Cake Ice Cream’ format. ‘Glutinous Rice Cake Ice Cream IN Ujooddeokjip Black Sesame Injeolmi’ is enveloped in chewy glutinous rice cake, filled with nutty black sesame ice cream and injeolmi syrup, delivering a rich texture and flavor.

Sold Out Both Online and Offline... Even 'Buying Strategies' Emerge

According to the retail industry, severe stock shortages began at major offline sales channels as soon as the product made its debut. Approximately 500,000 units of the initial shipment were sold out within just five days, and all stock prepared for the first pre-order sale on Lotte Wellfood’s official online store, Sweet Mall, was gone in just 18 hours after opening.

Glutinous Rice Cake Ice Cream at Uju Rice Cake Shop - Black Sesame Injeolmi. Lotte Wellfood

As a result, major social networking services (SNS) have been flooded with consumer complaints and photos proving their purchase attempt, such as, “I visited 10 neighborhood convenience stores and still couldn’t find it,” and “Even going early in the morning, there was no stock.” Some consumers have started sharing so-called ‘open run purchasing strategies,’ using inventory-checking functions and pickup reservation services on convenience store apps.

To meet explosive consumer demand, Lotte Wellfood immediately shifted to an emergency additional production system. As new stock becomes available, it is being distributed sequentially through nationwide sales channels, while the second round of pre-order sales is being conducted via Sweet Mall, the company’s official online store, to balance supply and demand.

Lotte Wellfood continues to pursue content collaborations aimed at younger consumers. This includes prior partnerships such as Glutinous Rice Cake Ice Cream with the variety show ‘New Journey to the West’ and ‘Glutinous Rice Cake Ice Cream Salt Cream’ with the popular bakery ‘Pouhaha Cream Bread.’

A Lotte Wellfood representative stated, “We are receiving a bigger response than expected because people can now enjoy the viral recipe from the show as an everyday dessert,” adding, “We will continue to provide unique brand experiences going forward.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.