Move over, K-drama heartthrobs, K-pop girl bands, and glow-worthy K-skincare. The next big thing tugging the heartstrings of your Korean Boo lies in the realm of all things edible and delicious—from the TikTok-famous dalgona coffee to baked samgyup (a dish of bulgogi beef and pork strips baked in melted cheese on a bed of rice), and most recently, minimalist cakes.
You’ve seen them all over your social media feeds, these perfectly frosted sponge cakes in shades of soft pink, baby blue, and the gentlest lavender. Now and then, you’ll see simple words piped atop in a contrasting hue—from happy birthday to hangul lettering. Demonstrating that less is truly more, this new cake trend is a nod to the minimalist, pastel-driven aethestic that’s born of both pop culture and the Internet: a reminder of happier, simpler times even in the face of the ongoing pandemic. Appealing even to diehard maximalists, some of these creations come decked in confetti sprinkles and freehand paint-stroke patterns to mark special occasions.
K-drama fans might’ve noticed this trend has sneakily found its way into some well-loved productions. There’s the pink cake in Heo Joon Jae’s house in the Legend of the Blue Sea, the cake with colourful candles, which the Goblin‘s Bride blew out by the sea, and the strawberry-studded creation in A Thousand Days’ Promise.
Fancy trying one for yourself? Here are some bakeries in Asia to check out.
1. Coming Cake, South Korea
2. Aegyo Cakes, The Philippines
3. Banana Haruki, South Korea
4. Layca Cake, Jakarta
5. Cafe 1035 Cake, South Korea
6. Bob the Baker Boy, Singapore
7. Three Petal Studio, Singapore
8. Green Aprons, Malaysia
BLACK FLY BIRD 