"Korean Cuisine Is Now Everywhere in the United States"
From Fine Dining to Street Snacks,
Korean Food Gains Mainstream Popularity
The popularity of Korean cuisine is rising in the United States, a country where diverse foods from around the world coexist. Some Korean-style snacks have become so mainstream that they can be easily found at major supermarkets across the country.
On June 30 (local time), the U.S. online media outlet Axios highlighted the growing popularity of Korean food in America, stating, "Now, Korean food is everywhere in the United States." According to the outlet, Korean cuisine, which first gained public attention through dishes like fried chicken, kimchi, and barbecue sauce, has recently expanded its presence across a wide spectrum, from upscale fine-dining restaurants to street snacks.
One notable example is 'Jungsik New York,' the first Korean restaurant in the United States to receive the highest 3-star rating from the Michelin Guide. Chef Lim Jungsik, who operates this restaurant, drew attention by winning the 'Outstanding Chef' award, the top honor at the James Beard Awards, which are often referred to as the Oscars of the culinary world.
Korean cuisine is also becoming more prominent in the daily lives of Americans. The most talked-about snack on social networking services (SNS) is the 'Korean-style hot dog.' This is a deep-fried snack made by coating a sausage in flour batter, and as it gained popularity through SNS, it has become a popular item that can now be easily found at large supermarkets in the United States.
The United States also has a similar snack called the 'corn dog.' However, the Korean-style hot dog has captivated American consumers with its differentiated flavors, featuring toppings such as potato, sweet potato, and cheese. In fact, the Korean-style corn dog specialty shop 'Two Hands Corn Dogs' opened its first store in California in 2019, and now operates seventy locations across the United States.
As Korean-style snacks gain popularity, the overall Korean dining industry is also expanding. According to U.S. market research firm Circana, the number of Korean restaurants in the United States increased by 10% last year, and fast-food chains offering Korean fried chicken and corn dogs on their menus grew by 15%.
Tim Fires, President of Global Foodservice at Circana, said, "The spicy and sweet flavors of Korean food resonate with people." Regarding the trend of being able to easily purchase Korean-style corn dogs at major supermarkets such as Costco, he stated, "This shows that Korean food has now achieved mainstream success."
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