Unless you're living off the grid, you've probably heard of Dalgona Coffee, the caffeinated concoction that took over the internet earlier this year, giving crowds of coffee junkies something to wake up to in the morning.

Few beverages require huffing and puffing and sweating in the process of making them, but this drink's claim to fame is its laborious preparation. It needs elbow grease – and lots of it. Legend has it ingredients must be whisked no less than 400 times before they morph into this creamy goodness that had everyone hooked. But of course, for every kitchen hurdle there's a hack, and creative problem solvers have turned to the handheld mixer to speed up the process and enjoy their cup of java with minimal effort.

And while recipes are now featured on every cooking website and blog worth its salt, the history of the drink is rather cloudy for many.

You'd be forgiven to think the "400 times coffee" comes from the land of K-pop and kimchi as South Korean celebrities and bloggers were the first to introduce the digital world to the wonders of the brew. But offline, the beverage had been served under a different name for much longer at a small shop, called Hon Kee Café, in China's Macao. Dalgona Coffee was actually born as Chow Yun-Fat Coffee, after the eponymous Chinese actor who visited the shop and fell in love with the cup of joe.

But it was South Korean actor Jung Il-woo who made the Dalgona Coffee a social media star in January 2020 after trying it in Macao as part of "Stars' Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant" show. Under the hashtag #dalgonacoffeechallenge, homemade versions began bubbling to surface on South Korean YouTube channels and spilling over to TikTok.

The stars were lined up perfectly for Dalgona Coffee to become an internet sensation. With the coronavirus pandemic forcing people to stay indoors amid lockdowns and shelter-in-place orders, way too many people had way too much time on their hands – and because making a nice cup of this coffee is time-consuming and physically-demanding, many were ready to take on the challenge.

Another reason is taste! The coffee tastes bitter, sweet and creamy at the same time, and cold milk and ice add freshness to it. It's just something you don't want to miss!

So let's get started!

Step 1: Combine one sachet of 3-in-1 instant coffee, 1 tablespoon of refined cane sugar and two tablespoons of hot water in a bowl. Fight the urge to use anything other than instant coffee. Don't reach for ground coffee or espresso powder. They won't work. Also use hot water only. Not lukewarm water, not cold water.

Step 2: Whip, by hand or with a mixer. If you choose to do this manually, you'd have to mix the mixture at least 400 times. It will be tiring, but think of it as a good workout for your arm.

Step 3: Continue whipping until you see the mixture turning from foamy to frothy to creamy.

Step 4: Pour milk in a glass filled with ice and spoon the creamy mixture on top. Voila! Now you have a beautiful and tasty cup of Dalgona Coffee.