Expanding Beyond K-Pop to K-Literature and K-Food as Hallyu Emerges as a Global Mainstream Culture

Hallyu is rapidly expanding beyond music-centered K-Pop into various fields such as literature, films, dramas, food, tourism, and consumer culture. According to the “2025 Global Hallyu Trends Analysis Report Based on Foreign Media and Social Media Data” released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Cultural Information Service, this trend was confirmed after analyzing approximately 1.5 million foreign media articles and social media posts from 30 countries between October 2024 and September 2025.

In 2025, foreign media coverage related to Hallyu was distributed as follows by region: 44% in Asia, 20.8% in Europe, and 16.9% in North America. While K-Pop accounted for the highest share in most regions, K-literature dominated attention in Africa, and K-films led in Oceania, reflecting region-specific differences in interest.

By country, the United States, India, Argentina, and Vietnam had the highest volume of coverage. Japan showed a relatively high focus on K-literature, Vietnam on K-dramas, and Brazil on K-films. Notably, after Han Kang won the Nobel Prize in Literature, coverage of K-literature increased by more than 30 percentage points compared to the previous quarter, with “The Vegetarian” and “Boy Who Came From the Sea” receiving significant attention.

The global spread of K-food has achieved notable success. Traditional and popular Korean food terms such as kimchi, soju, ramen, and bibimbap, along with keywords like “chef” and “Squid Game,” have emerged as key associated terms. This surge in global interest is attributed to Korean cuisine featured in Netflix’s cooking show “Chef’s Table” and the drama “Squid Game.”

K-sweets are rapidly rising as a new consumer trend within Hallyu. Thanks to the rapid spread of the stunning visuals of Korean desserts across social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, “dessert tours” have become a popular travel experience among foreign tourists visiting Korea. In popular areas like Seongsu-dong and Gangnam Station, it is common to see foreign visitors seeking out various desserts such as strawberry Dubai mochi, salt bread, and elephant bagels. On Instagram, hashtags related to Korean desserts range from at least 10,000 to over 210,000.

The impact of these content offerings was also evident. Netflix’s animated film “K-Pop Demon Hunters” surpassed 300 million views, and its theme song “Golden” reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The combination of traditional cultural elements such as spirits and goblins with Korean cuisine was identified as a key factor behind its success. This trend extended to tourism and consumer sectors, leading to an increase in foreign visitors to the National Museum of Korea and a surge in bookings for K-culture experience programs.

The drama “Pokssak Sokasseuda,” set on Jeju Island, gained international resonance through localized titles tailored to different regional tastes and its family-centered narrative. Following its release on Netflix, there was an increase in tourism demand to Jeju Island, along with spontaneous spread across social media. “Squid Game” Season 3 reaffirmed its global influence by topping charts in 93 countries.

Experts analyze that the K-sweets craze is spreading in tandem with trends in Korean tourism. Kim Young-guk, a professor in the Department of Tourism Management at Kangwon National University, noted, “Cafes today are no longer just places to drink tea but spaces where people experience and consume new cultures,” adding that foreign tourists are naturally engaging with Korea’s aesthetics and lifestyle.