"Aren't rice cakes something you only eat during holidays?" "Yakgwa is too sweet and greasy." These were natural reactions just a few years ago. However, these days, the atmosphere has completely changed. In front of popular rice cake shops and yakgwa specialty stores, 2030s are lining up, and traditional snacks are gaining attention again under the name 'Halmaenial Desserts.' Halmaenial is a combination of 'halmae' (grandmother) and 'millennial,' referring to the trend of the younger generation consuming traditional foods with a modern sensibility. It may seem like a simple trend, but behind it lies a change in health, eating habits, and attitudes towards snacks.
Reducing Sugar and Keeping Ingredients Simple, 'Ingredient-Conscious Desserts'
The biggest reason 2030s are returning to traditional snacks is the composition of ingredients. Instead of the excessive use of sugar and syrup as in the past, products made primarily from basic ingredients like rice, grains, honey, and rice syrup have increased. The sweetness is reduced, focusing on the natural flavors of the ingredients. The fact that there are fewer artificial flavors and colorings contributes to the perception of 'desserts that are ingredient-conscious.' This aligns with the consumer tendency to seek less stimulating options instead of completely cutting out desserts.
Rice Cakes as Meal Replacements, Yakgwa as Coffee Companions
The role of traditional snacks has changed. Rice cakes are no longer just filling snacks; they are consumed as convenient meal replacements. Rice cakes made with brown rice, whole grains, and beans provide great satiety even in small amounts and are easier to digest. This is why they are chosen as snacks on the way to work or before and after exercise. Yakgwa has also been reinterpreted as a dessert enjoyed with coffee by reducing its size and greasiness. The perception that they are easier on the stomach than cakes or cookies has naturally integrated them into café menus.
Not 'Grandmother's Snacks' but 'Manageable Snacks'
The appeal of Halmaenial desserts to the 2030s lies in the reduced guilt. They are not overly sweet or greasy, providing satisfaction with just one or two pieces. This is an important factor for consumers who are mindful of both blood sugar and weight. In particular, yokan (sweet bean jelly) or small yakgwa with controlled sweetness are perceived as 'snacks that can be enjoyed in moderation.' Instead of completely abstaining, the approach of enjoying in moderation has become normalized. This is the background for traditional snacks establishing themselves as 'manageable options.'
More Important than Retro Sensibility is 'Current Lifestyle'
Halmaenial desserts are different from a simple retro craze. While maintaining the name of tradition, the actual consumption methods have changed to fit today's lifestyle. Considerations include small sizes, convenient packaging, and the ability to be stored frozen. Additionally, appealing visuals and stylish packaging have been added. The reason traditional snacks are gaining attention again is not because they are 'old-fashioned,' but because they have evolved to be convenient for current consumption. The convenience of the present outweighs the nostalgia of the past in influencing choices.
The Reason Traditional Snacks Have Become 'Healthy Desserts'
The background for the resurgence of rice cakes, yakgwa, and yokan, which preserve their natural flavors with basic ingredients, is a change in attitudes towards health. Instead of avoiding sweetness altogether, there is a trend towards choosing snacks that are good for the body. Traditional snacks have naturally aligned with this trend by reducing processing stages and simplifying raw materials. Therefore, Halmaenial desserts are consumed not as nostalgic items but as current healthy desserts. The reason 2030s are lining up in front of traditional snacks is that they fit their current bodies and lifestyles.
