What is Dalgona coffee, how do I make it and why did it become a social media craze and the coronavirus quarantine drink of choice?

In case you missed it – instant coffee just got a stylish makeover. The dalgona coffee’s photogenic appeal (when done right, of course!) recently gained its spotlight on social media platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. And because everyone is on quarantine and essentially with more time on their hands, dalgona coffee has easily become the drink du jour.

Inspired by South Korea’s dalgona candy, or “ppopgi”, the sweet, toffee-like sponge candy was popular in the 1970s and the 80s. Children would make them at home after school and it was commonly sold at convenience stores and arcades through dalgona making-kits.

Watch a video of Chenle and Jisung from K-pop boy group NCT making the sugar candy:

Like its frothy coffee version, making dalgona candy also requires a lot of mixing to make it puff up. Afterwards, it is flattened with a design imprint on the middle and is put on a lollipop stick. In Korean tradition, if you’re able to eat it while keeping the middle pattern intact, the vendor will give you another one for free! Here’s another look at dalgona candy:

Fast-forward to today, as we’re all in isolation at home, the dalgona is seeing a revival through its coffee remake. Vice notes that according to Google Trends, the phrase “dalgona coffee” was practically non-existent early this year, but after an ASMR-rich video on was posted on YouTube by 뚤기ddulgi last February, it proved too delicious-looking for the world not to try.

뚤기ddulgi wrote in the caption: “I thought my arms were going to disappear”, adding that she may have mixed 1,000 times instead of just 400. Still, her dalgona coffee-making video sent viewers to their kitchens to make one.

You need not be a kitchen master, after all, as making dalgona coffee is possible with just instant coffee, sugar, milk and hot water – and a lot of arm power.

All you need to do is mix two tablespoons of coffee, sugar, and hot water together in a bowl, and beat the mixture for about three to five minutes (or count to 400!). You’ll know it’s ready when it has changed into a golden brown colour and has become thick, creamy and frothy in texture.

Then pour milk in a glass with a few ice cubes, and top it with your golden brown mixture using a spatula. Naturally, you’ll need to take a professional-looking photo of your dalgona coffee, and don’t forget to post it with the hashtag #달고나커피.

You can also customise your dalgona by adding some fresh fruits like strawberries or mango. Put the fruit slices in the glass with milk and ice before pouring over your coffee mixture.

For non-coffee drinkers, many foodies online have uploaded their own versions of the dalgona, sans the coffee. A few of the popular alternatives are the Milo dalgona, matcha dalgona and the milk tea dalgona. Since it may take awhile before we can visit our favourite cafes again, why not try making a different one every morning.