Foreigners with a growing appetite for South Korean cuisine are flocking to Seoul. Tourism experts now underscore that ‘K-food’ has become a prevailing trend, surpassing the popularity of ‘K-pop’ and ‘K-dramas.’ In a recent survey by the Seoul Tourism Organization (STO), among 500 foreigners who visited Seoul for tourism more than twice in the latter half of last year, the top reason cited for revisiting Seoul was its delicious food (scoring 75.9 points), followed by abundant shopping opportunities (73.2 points), pleasant weather (72.9 points), and a plethora of attractions to enjoy (72.7 points). Kil Ki-yon, head of STO, remarked, “The fact that visitors are drawn back to Korea two or three times due to their fondness for Korean cuisine has surprised us as well.”
STO, in collaboration with Hana Card and NICEZINIDATA, also analyzed the dining expenses of foreigners who visited Seoul last year. The findings revealed that their preferred dishes were galbi (grilled ribs) and samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly), accounting for 41.5% of their choices. Following closely were chicken (7.7%), desserts (6.3%), and beer (5.7%). A representative from STO noted, “There has been an expansion in menu options lately, with items such as oysters, strawberries, almonds, and ramen gaining popularity.”
Food preferences varied by country. For instance, Japanese tourists allocated a significant portion of their dining budget to desserts, gejang (marinated fresh raw crabs either in soy sauce or chili pepper-based sauce), and visits to izakayas (Japanese pubs). Hayama Kazuyo (50, from Nagoya) has visited South Korea for tourism purposes over 40 times. On each visit, he ensures to indulge in gejang. He explained, “Finding gejang in Japan is quite challenging, and the price, exceeding 10,000 yen (approximately 90,000 won) per person, is also a burden.” He further commented, “In Korea, with just 50,000 won per person, you can eat to your heart’s content, making you feel like a rich person.”
On Feb. 15, at a Chinese restaurant in Seoul’s Jung-gu district, over half of the customers were tourists from China and Taiwan. Su Yuqi (32) from Taiwan expressed her surprise, saying, “I was amazed after trying jajangmyeon. It’s totally different from our ‘zhajiangmian.’ The color is dark, and the taste is sweet. This isn’t Chinese cuisine; it’s Korean.” It was also observed that Chinese tourists have a preference for gamja-tang (pork back-bone stew).
Tourists from Southeast Asia were found to frequently consume dak-galbi (spicy stir-fried chicken) and gopchang (grilled beef intestines). Marian Bautista (20), a tourist from the Philippines, mentioned, “We also enjoy dishes made from chicken innards in the Philippines,” adding, “I don’t have any reluctance towards dishes like gopchang.”
Vietnamese TikToker Long Chun, with 6.8 million subscribers, toured Seoul, Busan, Gyeongju, and other cities in December last year. He shared videos showcasing ‘K-food,’ featuring a diverse menu of over 20 items, including bungeoppang (fish-shaped pastry stuffed with sweetened red bean paste), bibimbap, and hotteok (Korean pancake filled with cinnamon and brown sugar syrup). Describing his experience in South Korea, he noted, “Friendly locals, cuisine tailored perfectly to my taste, and no dull moments.” Long Chun also participated in the ‘SEOULCon (Global Influencer Expo)’ organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul Business Agency (SBA). Kim Hyun-woo, the head of SBA, remarked, “We observed that the majority of international influencers exhibit a keen interest in K-food.”
A survey conducted by the SBA targeted 128 influencers who had previously visited Seoul. The results revealed that the aspect they were most satisfied with in Seoul was the food (22.1%). Following closely were the ambiance suitable for social media posts (13.9%) and shopping opportunities (13.9%). When asked about the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of Seoul, food also topped the list at 16.4%. This surpassed considerations such as Hallyu culture, including K-pop (13.3%), good public safety (11.7%), and shopping (8.6%).
The most popular food consumed in Seoul was tteokbokki (simmered rice cake, 13.8%), followed by samgyeopsal (12.2%), bibimbap (11.4%), and bulgogi (marinated grilled beef, 8.1%). An official from the SBA noted, “Since most influencers are in their 20s and 30s, with a considerable female majority, it seems that tteokbokki is highly favored.”
Professor Seo Won-seok from Kyung Hee University Graduate School of Tourism highlighted, “Food offers a more accessible and addictive experience compared to K-pop or K-dramas.” Meanwhile, professor Lee Hoon from Hanyang University’s Department of Tourism emphasized, “We are currently in the era of social media tourism where experiences hold utmost importance.” He further clarified, “As individuals seek to immerse themselves in the everyday lives of locals and share photos, culinary tourism emerges as a quintessential activity for such aspirations.”
