BESIDES durian, we Malaysians can attest to the fact that watermelons are high on the preference list. Is a fruit dessert ever complete without these fleshy, juicy tropical fruits?
But not all watermelons will taste good although they look the same in hindsight. That is why a recent video guide on choosing the right watermelon drew quite the attention on the cyberspace, partly due to its brevity.
Although lasting only 24 seconds, the video was very educational, highlighting some vital aspects that determine if a watermelon was good for consumption.
Tips nak beli tembikai.. Simpan sinilah dulu, nanti singgah kedai acheh baru nak try tengok menjadi ke tak..🤔pic.twitter.com/VArOfPrhIq
— JalalMisai (@jllmisai) June 14, 2025
According to the video, spherical melons were usually sweet while the elongated ones were watery. If the stripes on the body were close, it is also an indication that the melon was sweet. The list goes on.
Safe to say, an amateur watermelon buyer should become quite a professional after this 24 seconds of educational content.
But netizens who watched the video have some comedy to inject into the topic, such as @Majestic136 with his photo comment:
Unfortunately, the video did not provide any pointers on whether cube-shaped melons do better in the taste department.
However, the cube-shaped melons do raise an interesting story for discussion. According to the website Japanese Taste, giving fruit as a gift is a long-standing tradition in Japan, and premium produce is often seen as a symbol of respect and good taste.
Among the most eye-catching of these luxury fruits are square watermelons, which are often admired for their unique and tidy appearance.
But beyond their visual appeal, there are also functional reasons why these cube-shaped watermelons have gained popularity.
Their flat sides allow them to fit more neatly into refrigerators compared to the traditional round ones, and their stable shape makes them easier to slice without rolling around.
The idea of growing square watermelons began in the late 1970s in Zentsuji, a town in Kagawa Prefecture.
A local farmer named Tomoyuki Ono came up with the concept after discovering that watermelons could take on the shape of their container if grown inside one.
This innovation made them not only visually intriguing but also more practical to handle and store. —June 6, 2025
Main image: @jllmisai (X)
