Appearing on the July 21 episode of the YouTube show Alttaldalhan ChamgyeonJung Il Woo revisited memorable moments from his variety show career, including his time on KBS2 The best recipe from the stars at Fun-Staurant.
During the conversation, actor Ahn Jae Hyun reminded viewers of Jung Il Woo’s role in popularizing the now-famous whipped coffee drink. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jung Il Woo created a coffee recipe Fun restaurant. It was Dalgona coffee, the one you whip over and over again,” Ahn Jae Hyun said.
When the other hosts expressed surprise, Ahn Jae Hyun added: “He was the first person to introduce it to television.” Jung Il Woo recalled how quickly the recipe spread around the world after it aired. “For this reason I was interviewed by the New York Times and the BBC”, he said. “I heard it even became the No. 1 trending search term on Google worldwide at the time.”
Ahn Jae Hyun jokingly responded that while Dalgona coffee has become famous around the world, Jung Il Woo’s name has not received the same recognition. “Only ‘dalgona’ became famous, Jung Il Woo’s name disappeared.” Comedian Heo Kyung Hwan then joked: “You should have patented it.” Laughing, Jung Il Woo replied: “That thought never even crossed my mind.”
Dalgona coffee is made by vigorously whisking instant coffee, sugar and hot water until thick and creamy before pouring it over a glass of milk.
Jung Il Woo first introduced the recipe Fun restaurant in 2020 after recreating a coffee drink he tasted at a cafe in Macau. The drink quickly became known as “dalgona coffee,” and millions of people around the world recreated it during the COVID-19 lockdown, sharing the results on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and other social media platforms.
Jung Il Woo also shared the recipe on his personal social media during the pandemic. His version called for: 2 tablespoons of instant coffee, 2 tablespoons of sugar and hot water. The ingredients are blended hundreds of times until a thick foam forms, which is then poured over a glass of ice-cold milk.
Because it required only a few staple foods and could be easily prepared at home, the drink became one of the pandemic’s defining viral food trends.
Sources: Daum | Herald Economy
