Korean Reading Practice

두쫀쿠 줄서기 한국인만 유난?…”이 사진들 봐라” 대반전 [이슈+]

📅 January 21, 2026

1Introduction

This reading explores the recent phenomenon of long queues for Du-jjon-ku (a popular Korean snack) and examines whether following food trends is uniquely Korean behavior. The text presents different perspectives on consumer culture and discusses how similar patterns appear in other countries as well.

2Vocabulary

Korean Romanization Meaning Example
줄서기 julseogi standing in line, queuing 새로운 음식점 앞에서 줄서기를 하는 사람들이 많다.Many people are standing in line in front of the new restaurant.
유행 yuhaeng trend, fashion 요즘 젊은이들 사이에서 새로운 유행이 생겼다.A new trend has emerged among young people these days.
따라하다 ttarahada to follow, to imitate 친구들이 하는 것을 따라하고 싶어한다.They want to follow what their friends are doing.
반박 banbak rebuttal, counterargument 그의 의견에 대한 강한 반박이 나왔다.A strong rebuttal to his opinion emerged.
온라인 커뮤니티 onlain keomyuniti online community 온라인 커뮤니티에서 다양한 의견을 볼 수 있다.You can see various opinions in online communities.
장사진 jangsajin long queue, long line 인기 있는 가게 앞에 긴 장사진이 생겼다.A long queue formed in front of the popular store.
이의를 제기하다 uireul jegihada to raise an objection 그 결정에 대해 이의를 제기하는 사람들이 있다.There are people raising objections to that decision.
확산하다 hwaksanhada to spread, to expand 소문이 빠르게 확산하고 있다.The rumor is spreading quickly.
소비자 sobija consumer 소비자들의 관심이 높아지고 있다.Consumer interest is increasing.
추억 chueok memory, remembrance 학창시절의 좋은 추억이 많다.I have many good memories from my school days.
경기 gyeonggi economy, economic situation 최근 경기가 좋아지고 있다는 소식이 있다.There’s news that the economy has been improving recently.
활력 wallyeok vitality, energy 새로운 프로젝트가 회사에 활력을 불어넣었다.The new project brought vitality to the company.

3Reading Text

최근 한국에서 두쫀쿠라는 간식을 사기 위해 긴 줄을 서는 현상이 화제가 되고 있다.

Recently, the phenomenon of standing in long lines to buy a snack called Du-jjon-ku has become a hot topic in Korea.

많은 사람들이 이른 아침부터 매장 앞에서 기다리며 이른바 ‘오픈런’을 하는 모습이 온라인에서 널리 퍼졌다.

Images of many people waiting in front of stores from early morning, doing so-called “open runs,” have spread widely online.

이러한 모습을 보고 일부 사람들은 “한국인들만 이렇게 유행에 열광하는 것 아니냐”는 비판적인 의견을 제시했다.

Seeing this, some people presented critical opinions asking “Are only Koreans so enthusiastic about trends like this?”

하지만 다른 나라에서도 비슷한 현상이 일어나고 있다는 반박이 나왔다.

However, rebuttals emerged showing that similar phenomena are occurring in other countries as well.

영국에서는 떡볶이를 먹기 위해 사람들이 두 시간씩 줄을 서는 일이 실제로 있었다고 한다.

It’s said that in the UK, people actually stood in line for two hours to eat tteokbokki.

온라인 사용자는 “유행을 따라하는 것이 왜 나쁜가?”라며 “사람 사는 곳은 다 비슷하다”고 강조했다.

One online user emphasized, “What’s wrong with following trends?” and “People are similar everywhere they live.”

또한 일부는 이런 현상이 자영업자들과 경제에 긍정적인 영향을 준다고 평가하기도 했다.

Some also evaluated that such phenomena have a positive impact on small business owners and the economy.

결국 유행을 따르는 것도 좋은 경험과 추억이 될 수 있다는 의견이 힘을 얻고 있다.

In the end, the opinion that following trends can also become good experiences and memories is gaining strength.

4Comprehension Questions

Q1
What is Du-jjon-ku and why are people standing in long lines for it?
Q2
What criticism did some people make about Koreans following this trend?
Q3
How did others respond to the criticism about Korean consumer behavior?
Q4
What example from another country was mentioned to support the counterargument?
Q5
According to the text, what positive effects might trend-following have on the economy?

5Cultural Notes

The concept of “open run” refers to rushing to stores right when they open to buy limited or popular items, which has become common in Korean consumer culture. This behavior reflects Korea’s highly connected society where trends spread rapidly through social media and online communities. The phenomenon also demonstrates how food trends can become social experiences that bring people together, rather than just individual consumption choices.

Source: Naver News |
Original Article

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