Korean culture slipping into Arab world

Korean culture slipping into Arab world

Korean culture, from food to entertainment to cosmetics, is popular across much of the Arab world. (Shutterstock)

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Updated 12 sec ago

AMEERA ABID

October 03, 2021

00:06

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One such trend is the eye-catching “lunchbox cake”

JEDDAH: Korean culture, from food to entertainment to cosmetics, is popular across much of the Arab world, and different aspects have slipped into Saudi Arabia.

One such trend is the eye-catching “lunchbox cake.” Much as their name suggests, these cakes are small enough to fit in a hamburger cardboard box, decorated with personalized aesthetic designs.

The trend caught on over the past year; Samira Bin Mahfouz came across it two months ago and used her prior baking knowledge to recreate them and start a home business.

“I instantly fell in love with this style; I thought they were so cute, and instantly got the urge to recreate them,” she told Arab News. “I do know that (Korean) music is widely appreciated here in Saudi Arabia. This trend enticed me to explore their culture more, and I will be looking into it,” Mahfouz said.

Sharing the same sentiment, Raghad Mohammed, another to have started selling lunchbox cakes, told Arab News that ever since this particular trend caught on, she decided to “give it a try” too.

Her business was such a success that the baker will be conducting workshops to help amateur bakers recreate these cakes through Upgrade, a platform that allows skilled people to spread their knowledge.

Mohammed said: “Many people prefer smaller cakes over bigger ones anyway, so this size and style is ideal for them.”

Yumna Khalid, a 24-year-old university student based in Jeddah, is a firm believer that Korean skincare products can do miracles. “I came across one of the YouTube videos that are often titled ‘Korean skincare routine,’ and it changed everything. It has been years since I have used anything that wasn’t Korean on my skin.”

She said that Koreans do not hide their flaws with makeup, but fix the underlying issues with their skin and then enhance their features.

According to Khalid, their products also contain many natural elements. Khalid, after discovering the skincare products, became more and more interested in their culture in general and now enjoys following their recipes for savoury dishes in her home, “What can I say? There is very little that you can dislike in Korean food,” she said.