Why Indians are Going Crazy about Korean Cuisine?

 

There is an increasing popularity of Korean culture in India, especially in the year 2022.

It’s interesting to see how any one particular culture can influence the minds of the youth. The K-culture also known as Korean culture is the biggest influence these days. The finger-licking and delicious Korean food is driving the youth crazy and is the next big influence. Here’s all you need to know about it!

All About K-culture

From music to movies, technology to food, the world has fallen in love with everything South Korean. South Korean cultural trends began in the 1980s and have now been ruling fashion and cultural trends all around the world. South Korea is considered a major exporter of popular culture. It started with the K-dramas then K-pop which spread like a wildfire. 

Collaborations of K-culture with food chains have also fueled the growth of this culture. It was during the COVID-19 lockdown that fastened the growth of Korean culture in India. Indians started watching K-dramas, started listening to K-pop music and were very much keen on trying Korean food.

The rising popularity of K-Food in India presents a unique growth opportunity for Korean food manufacturers, ingredients and condiments manufacturers.

All About K-Cuisine

By the 18th century, chilli peppers were widely used to prepare Korean cuisine. Korean food refers to the traditional preparation techniques of Korea. They have a unique cooking style divided into royal court cuisine regional specialities and modern fusion food. 

Koreans usually have grilled meats which are accompanied by spicy and sour shreds of cabbage. This dish is called Kimchi. Kimchi is preserved cabbage which is the key ingredient of all Korean dishes. Other types of Korean dishes include Korean fried chicken, Korean style Ramen, Kimchi, gimbap and kimchi-jjigae. 

People are now hunting for restaurants serving authentic Korean cuisine. Binge-watching K-dramas increased the hunger for Kimchi, and other mouth-watering ingredients like gochujang (the essential, alluringly sweet and spicy sauce; Daenjang (Korean soybean paste) and dried seaweed sheets.

Source: Economic Times

Why Korean Food Gained Popularity In India?

The Korean culture gained a huge acceptance in India in 2020 and continues to do so in 2021 owing to its increasing fan base.  

This increase in the popularity of Korean cuisine is due to their  K- Dramas and K- Pop culture. The surge went high during the lockdown, which further accelerated the acceptance of Korean culture in India. The young population who is too much into K-dramas is getting easily influenced. 

The K-dramas inspire veg or non-vegetarian items of their loved delicacies among the youth. Nowadays, restaurants have started collaborating with Korean food chains to satisfy the hunger of young minds. 

Korean food manufacturers have an opportunity to increase their distribution and expand their market amongst a niche base of consumers. The growth of K-food in India, the entry of Korean brands, and how the local market adapts to this acquired taste remains interesting space to look out for. Also, there is an increase in competition for K-noodles manufacturers with Indian manufacturers like Maggi and Yippie.

The viewership of K-dramas and K-pop on Netflix reported a year-over-year 370% jump in 2020 and the import of Korean noodles in India also witnessed a volume growth of 162% in 2020.

Popular Korean Dishes

Various Korean side dishes rely on fermentation for preservation and flavour, resulting in a taste of tanginess. 

Bulgogi: 

It is made with thinly sliced or shredded beef, marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and black pepper and cooked on a grill. Bulgogi in Korean means “fire meat”; the variants include pork, chicken, or squid.

Bibimbap:

A rice dish topped up with chopped vegetables, meat (chicken, pork, beef), and eggs and served with a dollop of spicy chilli paste.

Kimchi:

A fermented pickle is usually made from shredded cabbage, white reddish, or cucumber on a brine of ginger, garlic, green onion, and chilli pepper. This is a side dish paired with soups or rice.

Seaweed Soup:

It is more of a culinary ritual, it is usually prepared and relished on birthdays and special occasions. Made with Korean seasonings like soy sauce, garlic and sesame oil and has a tangy, fish-like taste.

Korean coolness has flourished across the world over the past decade or more – not only in music but also in film and video games and TV and fashion and food. K-Dramas gained popularity in India because of their storyline, fashion, and aesthetics. We ran a survey with respondents who were Indian and K-Drama fans. Interestingly, 88% of the respondents were willing to try Korean food.

Korean food. has gained popularity not only because of the influence of K-dramas but also because of the health benefits associated with them. Indian consumers are experimenting with the cuisine adding an Indian twist to it. Korean noodles are also easily available across e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, BigBasket etc.

The growth of K-food in India, the entry of Korean brands, and how the local market adapts to this acquired taste remains interesting space to look out for. 

Written by: Prabhveet Kaur

Edited by: Nidhi Jha