The Spread of K-Food

The heat of the Hallyu wave has brought K-Food to spread quickly on the global culinary map. Korean dishes are increasingly popular and loved by many diners around the world .

Dishes like bibimbap, bulgogi, kimchi and tteokbokki have become iconic Korean dishes that are loved by international audiences. However, Hallyu cuisine does not stop at introducing traditional dishes, but goes further by creating new and more appealing dishes, including the image of healthy Korean cuisine .

Many diners and consumers have positive reviews of Korean culinary products, from traditional to modern, saying that they are of good quality and affordable compared to products from other countries.

Korean cuisine attracts foreign diners

For this reason, many Korean restaurants in Asia, Europe, and North America have become familiar destinations for customers. According to the Korean Food Foundation, there are currently more than 10,000 Korean restaurants in the world, and this number will continue to increase in the future. As the demand for Korean dishes such as bibimbap and traditional rice wine Macoli increases, the movement of culinary businesses to foreign markets is also becoming faster.

The dishes are introduced more and more diversely and attractively. Not only on the small screen, they also gradually appear widely in music videos and famous international films.

In 2020, the film Parasite, which won the first Best Picture Oscar in Korean history, introduced the famous noodle dish called Chapaguri. After the film's release, Chapaguri noodles were sold in 20 countries, generating sales of up to 30 billion won ($25.5 million).

Or in the movie Crash Landing on You (2020), the main character ate golden olive chicken while watching a football match between Korea and Japan. Immediately, the chicken of Genesis BBQ became famous. As of 2022, Genesis BBQ has more than 193 restaurants in 17 other countries. Most visitors here try the golden olive chicken.

Based on meticulous research on the characteristics and culinary styles of local people, Korean food manufacturers have also diversified products from restaurants, eateries to packaged foods, contributing to the rapid development of K-Food.

According to KBS news agency, in the third quarter of this year, Nongshim announced preliminary revenue of 855.9 billion won (658.5 million USD), profit of 42.9 million USD, an increase of 103.9% over the same period last year.

Samyang Food Company recorded revenue of 335.2 billion won (US$258 million) and profit of 43.4 billion won (US$33.4 million), up 124.7% year-on-year in 2022. Of which, more than 70% of total revenue came from overseas business activities.

According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries Trade Corporation and the Korea Customs Service, Korea's instant noodle exports in the first quarter of this year exceeded 200 million USD for the first time, up 14.3% from the previous record (181.93 million USD in the first quarter of 2022).

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