"IU Had to Line Up at 7 A.M. for an 'Open Run'... Gwangju Rice Cake Shop Goes Viral on SNS"

Gwangju Local Rice Cake Shop “Changyeoktteok” in the Spotlight
Explosive Popularity Driven by SNS Buzz
IU Joins the 7 a.m. “Open Run”

A local rice cake shop in Gwangju with a 60-year tradition has recently gained explosive popularity after going viral on social networking services (SNS). Even during the weekdays, long lines of customers form in front of the store, and some visitors have shared reviews that they waited over an hour before giving up and leaving. Amidst this growing interest, singer and actress IU also visited the rice cake shop, attracting attention for experiencing her very first "open run" (waiting in line to buy something upon opening).

Singer and actress IU visiting the main branch of Changuk Rice Cake in Jungheung-dong, Gwangju. Screenshot from IU's YouTube channel video.

On September 14, IU's YouTube channel "이지금" (Lee Jigeum) released footage showing IU visiting the main store of Changyeoktteok to buy rice cakes as gifts for the actors who appeared in her new song's music video. On this day, IU purchased not only the store’s famous pumpkin Injeolmi but also bought a variety of other popular products in large quantities.

The ‘Rediscovery’ of a 60-Year-Old Rice Cake Shop

Changyeoktteok originated in 1965 as a small rice cake shop at the Dongmyeong-dong market in Gwangju’s Dong-gu district. Over more than 60 years, it has become a beloved local business among Gwangju citizens. Its main store is now located in Jungheung-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju, and it operates additional branches in Dongmyeong, U-Square, and Daejeon.

The shop’s signature menu item is “Pumpkin Injeolmi,” a chewy pumpkin-flavored sticky rice cake coated with soft castella crumbs, known for its distinctive sweet and nutty flavor. If you search for "Pumpkin Injeolmi" or "Changyeoktteok" on SNS, you will find hundreds of pieces of content, including cross-sectional views showcasing the chewy texture, short-form videos of scooping up the castella crumbs, and guides on how to receive the rice cakes at room temperature.

Interest in Changyeoktteok has grown even further recently as reviews from famous YouTubers have spread. The YouTube channel “Hamalneommanyeo,” with around 770,000 subscribers, shared a Gwangju travel video in March. In the video, after finishing their trip to Gwangju, the YouTubers tasted Changyeoktteok’s Pumpkin Injeolmi on the train. They commented, “We often buy this rice cake online, but we didn’t know the main store was in Gwangju,” adding, “Eating it at the main store is a different experience. It’s much chewier.”

A long line formed to buy Changyeoktteok. SNS capture

The video captured the YouTubers expressing their amazement as they ate the rice cakes, sparking viewers’ curiosity and quickly spreading with comments like “What kind of taste could make them react like that?” Following this, a wave of posts verifying visits to Changyeoktteok appeared on SNS, and the shop has naturally become known as a “must-visit spot” on a trip to Gwangju.

Spike in Searches and Visitors

According to Korea Tourism Data Lab, from the beginning of this year through last month, the number of navigation searches for the main store of Changyeoktteok in Jungheung-dong surged 340% year-on-year to 28,890. During the same period, tourism consumption (measured by credit card spending) by outsiders visiting Buk-gu, Gwangju, where Changyeoktteok shops are located, increased by 7.3%.

According to Naver Data Lab, the search index for terms such as "Changyeoktteok," "Changyeoktteokjip," and "Pumpkin Injeolmi" soared to 100 on March 17. After hovering around 15, the figure jumped back up to 21 following the release of IU’s video on September 14.

Experts predict that as local brands continue to find new opportunities through SNS, the influence of online content will only grow stronger in the traditional food industry sector.

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