Starbucks Korea's Ube Cheesecake Has Everyone Confused

Summary

Starbucks Korea just dropped an ube Basque cheesecake and people are trying it mostly to figure out what ube even tastes like. The reviews are pretty honest though—most can't really tell there's ube in there. It's just a really thick, rich cheesecake, which honestly sounds good enough on its own.

Why do we peek

Ube is having a moment in Korea right now, but most Koreans have never actually tasted it before. So when a big chain like Starbucks drops an ube product, people treat it like a cultural education moment—they're buying it to learn what the flavor is supposed to be. The fact that everyone's confused about whether they're tasting ube or just cheesecake is kind of the whole conversation.

Main Story

Starbucks Korea just launched an ube Basque cheesecake and people are buying it mostly because they're curious what ube even tastes like. The honest reviews are pretty consistent though—most people can't really detect the ube flavor, it's just a super rich, dense cheesecake. Still, everyone agrees it's good, just maybe not for the reason Starbucks intended.

Backstory

Ube is a purple yam from the Philippines that's been trending in desserts worldwide, but it's still pretty new in Korea. It has a mild, slightly sweet, nutty flavor that's honestly pretty subtle—so if you've had ube before, you'll probably also wonder where it is in this cheesecake. The Basque cheesecake itself is the burnt, creamy style that's been huge in Korea for a few years now.

FAQ