BTS’s Jimin Drives the K-Food Boom, Helping Ramen Exports Reach a Record High

BTS and other K-POP idols’ social media activities serve as a key force behind the global spread of K-food. Last year, South Korea’s ramen exports reached 1.24846 billion dollars, marking the highest figure on record. When BTS’s Jimin was seen eating tteokbokki on social media, overseas fans began searching for “Tteokbokki.” When Jung Kook created a new dish by mixing Buldak with Neoguri ramen, fans around the world shared recipes for “Bulguri.” Eating videos posted on BTS’s official YouTube channel, “BANGTAN TV,” have accumulated between 15 and 16 million views. A video uploaded to TikTok by American rapper Cardi B, showing her cooking and eating Karbo Buldak ramen, received over 4.5 million likes. Eating videos of Korean food created by influencers have spread rapidly, especially among the MZ generation. The leading product driving ramen exports is Samyang’s Buldak, with exports alone in the first half of the year reaching 48 billion won. Social media trends such as the “Buldak Challenge” have sparked interest worldwide, including in the United States, Europe, and Latin America. An article published by Wirecutter, a review publication affiliated with an American news outlet, featured many Korean ramen brands in its list of “the best instant ramen.” The global expansion of K-food is also extending to convenience stores and sauces. In Southeast Asian CU convenience stores, Jeonju Bibim Samgak Kimbap and Kimchi Chumchi Samgak Kimbap are popular items, while the hotba launched by CU in Mongolia has sold over 180,000 units in just one year. Last year, exports of sauces reached 394 million dollars, the highest amount ever recorded. Mixed seasoning sauces such as those containing Buldak, bulgogi, and chicken seasoning sold the most, with gochujang following closely behind. Korean-style kimchi, gochujang, and bibimbap sauce were included in “15 Trend Foods for Room Temperature Storage in 2024,” selected by the British food magazine Speciality Food Magazine. The popularity of Korean cuisine is also high in the fine dining industry, led by New York’s three-Michelin-starred restaurant, “Jeong’s Restaurant.” The potential of high-end Korean cuisine is evident in ginseng and Korean fruits as well. In China, Korean ginseng is sold at prices 2 to 3 times higher than Chinese ginseng, while in Vietnam, Korean pears and strawberries are popular as gifts during holidays.