Pepero Day

It is the biggest annual day-marketing event in South Korea, and involves the gifting or exchange of Pepero snacks, a line of chocolate-dipped cookie sticks, with the intention of displaying affection for friends and loved ones.

In the story, two female middle school students in the Yeongnam region exchanged Pepero wishing that they would both become tall and thin.

[3][4] The fad spread with the idea that, for maximum effectiveness for height and thinness, one must eat 11 packets of Pepero on November 11, 11:11 am and 11:11 pm at 11 seconds exactly.

The trend led to other companies creating similarly shaped snacks to participate on Pepero Day.

[5] Pepero Day has been criticized as a business tool and marketing strategy of certain companies, as well as for promoting unhealthy, fattening food that contradicts its original meaning (about becoming tall and thin).

Pepero snacks
Garaettok, a type of Korean rice cake, has been proposed as more healthy and less commercial alternative for the foodstuff promoted on November 11 (which is also Farmers' Day in South Korea)