'Consumer Forum 2027: K-Sweet Festa' held in Seoul
Forum explores K-dessert as new growth engine for K-food
The meaning of dessert is changing. What was once a simple palate cleanser after a meal has become a cultural phenomenon — one that draws people across the country in pursuit of a single standout treat. Trends shift rapidly through SNS and nationwide department store and convenience store channels, constantly stoking consumer curiosity. The sector is also drawing attention as a potential new growth engine for K-food, with growing calls for deliberate efforts to convert the interest of foreign tourists visiting Korea into sustained consumption and exports.
The Herald Business and The Korea Herald hosted "Consumer Forum 2027: K-Sweet Festa" on Thursday afternoon at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Jung-gu, Seoul, under the theme "A New Path for K-Food: K-Dessert." Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryeong, E-mart24 CEO Choi Jin-il and other government and industry officials, influencers and consumers attended the forum.
Herald Media Group Publisher and CEO Choi Jin-young said in his opening remarks that "dessert can go beyond being a simple food item to become a field that showcases the appeal of our food culture and creates new markets." Minister Song said in her congratulatory address that "it is now K-dessert's turn to introduce Korea's new flavors and charms," adding that the dessert industry holds strong growth potential through the fusion of tradition and modernity and the use of domestic agricultural products.
E-mart24 CEO Choi Jin-il delivered the keynote address, outlining the current state and growth potential of the K-dessert market while highlighting the role of domestic convenience stores. "Convenience stores can serve as a platform connecting dessert shops across the country with consumers," he said, adding that "active support for exporting the K-convenience store model is also needed."
In the session presentations, Yeo Myeong-rang, CEO of Bomworks — the company behind Saesoju and Chilsung Cider Zero — said demand for varied textures would continue for now, noting that desserts engineered to engage multiple senses, including sight, sound and touch, are gaining popularity. Lee Han-ju, deputy general manager of the F&B team at Shinsegae's food and lifestyle division and the planner behind Shinsegae Department Store's dedicated dessert hall "Sweet Park," said dessert consumption is evolving beyond a simple after-meal treat into an experience-driven purchase, and predicted that brands combining a modern reinterpretation of classic desserts with a pursuit of novelty would consistently grow.
The Consumer Forum, which launched in 2018, marked its ninth year this year by hosting a pop-up store for the first time, bringing together brands at the forefront of dessert trends. Featured brands included Pasak, a freeze-dried yeot brand developed by snack creator Anunu (Ahn Eun-woo), who has about 4.2 million TikTok followers; Little Bite More, a gluten-free dessert brand frequented by BLACKPINK's Jennie and Cortez; Hotco Bakery, praised by the protagonist of the Japanese series "The Solitary Gourmet"; Yeongdo Bridge Tteokbang, a Busan rice cake shop that pioneered the pizza-seolgi trend; and Yudongbu Ciabatta, which pursues wholesome bread fit to serve one's own family. Ahn Eun-woo of Pasak and Park Yun-jeong of Little Bite More also exchanged views on their brands, the market and global expansion in a one-on-one panel talk.
spa@heraldcorp.com
