Dessert has recently expanded from an after-meal treat to a standalone dining category. Originally meaning “after-meal sweetness”, dessert has evolved into a culture where it can be enjoyed as a meal replacement, thanks to advances in coffee and confectionery technology. Especially since the mid-2010s, dessert cafes have emerged and dessert itself has become a mainstream product, a result of cafes and bakeries looking to diversify their revenue amid the changing self-employment market. Dessert cafes have become part of consumer values and culture, not just a place to eat out.
The growth of the dessert market has been heavily influenced by social media and changing consumption trends. Since the early 2010s, the popularization of photo-sharing platforms has brought dessert into the spotlight as a “small luxury”, and the dessert experience has become more widespread with economic growth. Since the pandemic, the rise of the contactless economy has led to a reassessment of the value of offline dessert culture, and dessert cafes and bakery cafes have continued to grow.
Recent trends have led to the consumption of dessert cafes as destinations for tourism and leisure. With keywords like “bread pilgrimage” and “cafe tour” gaining traction, dessert cafes are becoming more than just a place to eat, but an attraction with photo zones and signature desserts. In addition, dessert menus are diversifying, new dessert items are quickly becoming popular, and trends continue to emerge that reflect consumer preferences.
The dessert industry is not yet clearly defined as an industry, but it can be reconstructed from existing industry classifications that include cafes and bakeries. The dessert industry in Seoul, analyzed as non-alcoholic beverage stores and bakeries, has grown significantly over the past decade. Between 2012 and 2022, the dessert industry in Seoul nearly doubled in both number of businesses and number of workers, with the growth driven by the café-centered beverage industry. The majority of dessert businesses are small, with the majority of owners in their 30s and 50s, but there is a growing number in their 20s.
The dessert industry is growing across Seoul, with Gangnam-gu, Mapo-gu, and Songpa-gu standing out as major concentrations. Gangnam-gu is centered around Teheran-ro and Sinsa-gil, while Mapo-gu has a high concentration of dessert businesses in Hongdae and Hapjeong-dong. In Songpa-gu, Songnidan-gil and Seokchon Lake have recently emerged as new dessert spots. Across the city, cafes and bakeries are growing in a somewhat different but similar spatial pattern.
The major neighborhoods in Seoul's dessert industry have different characteristics. Gangnam and Hongdae are home to a concentration of modern cafes, while the Bukchon and Seochon neighborhoods of Jongno are home to cafes that have been converted from traditional hanoks. Yongsan is home to boutique cafes in renovated old buildings, while Seongsu-dong is a center for young people and hipster culture and is emerging as a “hot spot” for desserts.
Currently, domestic dessert industry support policies are mainly focused on cafes and bakeries, but recently there has been an increase in policies that directly support desserts. At the event level, coffee- and bread-focused festivals and competitions are on the rise, dessert-themed branding of local shopping districts and streets is not uncommon, and institutional approaches such as ordinances and master plans to support desserts are also emerging.
Seoul supports the dessert industry through sponsorship of private dessert-related events and certification programs rather than institutional approaches. Future policy directions should include embracing the dessert sector as part of the ongoing ‘Gourmet City Seoul’ branding and promoting the industry through various existing support measures.
Rather than focusing on leading the dessert industry, it will be more effective to strengthen the circular structure of the policy by identifying trends in the industry and finding and sharing best practices. The inclusion of the dessert sector in startup/vocational training and small business support, the segmentation of the dessert sector in Seoul Gourmet Week, and the support of a regular certification renewal system in conjunction with the event are expected to help the dessert industry in Seoul continue to grow in the future.