(C) The Star

SEOUL – As South Korea faces a critical dip in blood reserves due to freezing temperatures and a widespread flu season, regional blood centers are turning to a viral culinary trend to entice donors: the “Dubai Chewy Cookie” (affectionately nicknamed Du-jjon-ku).

The Korean Red Cross and various regional blood management centers reported on Saturday that they have launched special promotional events featuring the trendy dessert to stabilize the national blood supply, which often reaches dangerously low levels during the winter months.

Desperate Measures for Declining Reserves
The Daejeon-Sejong-Chungnam Blood Center announced it will hold a “Blood Donation Campaign” on January 27th at the Sejong Center in Naseong-dong. In a bid to attract younger donors and community members, the center will provide a free Dubai Chewy Cookie to the first 30 donors.

The scarcity of blood is particularly acute in regions like Busan. As of January 22, the reserve of red blood cell concentrates in Busan plummeted to 2.5 days’ worth, exactly half of the 5-day supply considered “optimal” by health authorities.

A Grassroots Effort by Medical Staff
The initiative to use "Du-jjon-ku" as a reward originated from the creative ideas of local staff members who noticed the dessert's massive popularity on social media. However, securing the cookies—which are currently a "high-demand" item across the country—proved to be a logistical challenge.

In Busan, administrative teams initially struggled to find suppliers due to the item’s scarcity. In response, nurses took to the streets, visiting small local cafes one by one to explain the urgency of the blood shortage. After a week of grassroots lobbying, 13 local businesses agreed to help, providing a total of 650 cookies. Notably, one cafe owner in the trendy Jeonpo-dong Cafe Street reportedly donated 100 cookies free of charge to support the cause.

National Expansion of the Trend
The movement is rapidly spreading across the peninsula:

Daegu & Gyeongbuk: On January 22, the local blood center distributed batches of 20 to 30 cookies across nine donation sites. The Dongseong-ro Center, one of the nation’s top three busiest donation sites, saw its stock depleted almost instantly.
Gwangju & Jeonnam: On January 23, the regional center provided 450 cookies to whole blood and platelet donors on a first-come, first-served basis.
Busan: All 13 local "Houses of Blood" participated in a similar promotion on the 23rd, targeting donors of whole blood and platelets.

The Winter Slump
Health officials emphasize that the surge in flu cases and the reluctance of citizens to venture out in sub-zero temperatures typically lead to a "blood drought" every January. "The voluntary participation of citizens is more desperate than ever to ensure a stable supply for emergency surgeries and treatments," stated a representative from the Red Cross.

By leveraging the "Instagrammable" appeal of the Dubai Chewy Cookie, blood centers hope to transform a routine civic duty into a rewarding community trend, bridging the gap between a modern food craze and a vital public health need.

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