Everyone has been talking about the hit Korean series Squid Game ever since it was released last September. Even celebrities have been catching up with the show over the past few weeks. A recent press conference video showed LeBron James and Anthony Davis talking about the ending. Even Gal Gadot and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson discussed the phenomenon during their press conferences for Red Notice.

This isn’t a surprise, though. The plot of Squid Game alone is enough to get anyone to stop and think, “Would I join a deadly series of games if it meant winning 45.6 billion won (around SGD 52 million)?”

If you’ve watched the series, you’ll probably agree that all of the games looked fun (if you put the deadly consequences aside, anyway). One of the most talked-about challenges in the game, however, was the Dalgona challenge. Unless you’re well-versed in Korean culture, you might not be all that familiar with them.

What are Dalgona Cookies?

Dalgona, also called ppopgi in Korean, isn’t a cookie. It’s a toffee-like honeycomb sugar candy made with sugar and baking soda popular amongst Korean children. “Dalguna” as a word means “it’s sweet” in Korean. You may have also heard the term “Dalgona” when it became viral on TikTok in the form of coffee during the onset of the pandemic last year. That was actually named after this candy.

Korean adults will agree that it brings about a bit of nostalgia, which is evident in Squid Game. The candy was relatively cheap and initially gained popularity after the Korean War. After Squid Game, however, it has quickly gained popularity all over social media.

To make this sweet treat, you have to melt granulated sugar in a skillet and then stir in a bit of baking soda until it foams up and thickens and turns into a sort of caramel-coloured whipped cream. While you can pour it out and enjoy it that way, the nostalgic version for Koreans involves flattening it into a circle on a pre-lined baking sheet and imprinting it with a mould before it hardens and gets brittle.

In Squid Game, the moulds came in four particular shapes: a triangle, a circle, a star, and an umbrella. However, you are free to create other types of shapes as you please.

Whether you’re a fan of Squid Game or are simply looking for a fun pastime to do with your kids, this is a fun activity you can try out. You can also bring out your competitive nature and see which one of you would reign supreme in the Squid Game Dalgona challenge. Enjoy!