Korean products ride on global success of BTS, Squid Game, Parasite and other entertainment hits
- South Korea’s entertainment industry is bringing Korean brands into the mainstream, from the country’s oldest ramen noodle brand to BTS-endorsed water purifiers
- Squid Game popularised dalgona candy, turning the show’s deadly contest into a TikTok challenge, while Korean mandu are gaining ground on Chinese dumplings
The global popularity of South Korean entertainment is luring consumers to embrace the country’s culture and cuisine, fuelling sales around the world of items ranging from mandu dumplings to water purifiers hawked by boy band BTS.
1. CJ CheilJedang’s dumplings
CJ’s 2019 acquisition of American brand Schwan’s helped the Korean company increase sales in the US food market by utilising Schwan’s distribution channels and local factories.
Unlike Chinese dumplings, long popular with Western eaters, the mandu sold in the US under CJ CheilJedang’s Bibigo brand feature a thin wrap with a mix of chicken and coriander. YouTubers showing how to steam or fry the mandu are also proliferating. Mandu typically have a thinner wrap and more ingredients in their filling than dumplings from neighbouring China.
“Food is the easiest way to experience a country’s culture,” says Jo Mi-jin, an analyst at NH Investment & Securities in Seoul. “The success of K-content is giving a positive signal to Korean food makers, while the global demand for the foods has been rising during the pandemic.”
2. Nongshim instant noodles
