Filipino fans of BTS attend the launch of a collaboration between the K-pop superstars and a sandwich cookie brand at a mall in Taguig on June 14, 2026. Jaehwa Bernardo, ABS-CBN News
Hotteok is a beloved South Korean street food made from a pancake filled with a sweet mixture, typically brown sugar and cinnamon. A longtime favorite among locals, the snack has recently gained international attention through BTS.
The K-pop superstars recently teamed up with Oreo to launch a brown sugar-filled sandwich cookie inspired by hotteok, merging two snacks favored by the seven-member "Dynamite" hitmakers.
"BTS actually has strong, fond memories of eating not just hotteok but Oreo cookies, making this a deeply meaningful collaboration that places a piece of Korean heritage inside the iconic cookie they've always loved," Sera Hizon, brand manager for Oreo Philippines, said Sunday at the collaboration product's launch event at a mall in Taguig.
The sandwich cookies, which rolled out to Philippine retailers earlier this month, also feature 13 unique embossments designed by the BTS members themselves, including their names, the group's logo, their light stick, and personal messages to fans collectively known as ARMY.
READ: BTS, Oreo team up for hotteok-inspired cookies
The collaboration also highlights how South Korean pop idols help introduce their foreign audiences to other aspects of Korean culture, including the country's street food.
"The flavor, it's really them kasi hotteok, Korean, so na-excite talaga kaming ARMYs," said KC Avenido, a 30-year-old BTS fan since 2015, who attended the event featuring BTS-themed photo walls and booths.
Another fan, 20-year-old Cassie Lalic, said: "Masaya kami because they (BTS) connected the culture of Korea with what is known worldwide, which is Oreo. [BTS are] also known worldwide but they're trying to connect more fans with their culture."
Stacy Riddle, a 34-year-old who has been a fan of BTS since 2020, also noted how hotteok was "special" to BTS.
"When we found out about [the collaboration], super excited kami kasi ang daming clips ng BTS na kumakain sila ng hotteok," Riddle said. "We really appreciate the messages, the embossments."
The fans are part of an initiative called BTS RE:TURN PH, which brings together various ARMY groups in the country for activities and projects, including fan-led efforts for the septet's upcoming Bulacan stop of its "Arirang" tour in March 2027.
(From left) Benedict Cua, Sharlene San Pedro, Megan Young and Mikael Daez
Celebrity couple Megan Young and Mikael Daez, actress and former MYX VJ Sharlene San Pedro, and YouTuber Benedict Cua were among the well-known personalities who attended the launch, even playing games with fans.
Young, in particular, has recently earned the favor of Filipino ARMY after posting a video showing her patiently waiting to purchase a ticket online for the "Arirang" concert in Bulacan — a moment that resonated with many fans.
READ: Megan Young joins ticket war for BTS concert in Bulacan
BTS' "Arirang" tour supports the group's latest album of the same title, released in March, marking their first release in four years following a hiatus as the members completed their mandatory military service.
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