Taking a Whole Bite Like the Main Character...
SNS Challenge Spreads Worldwide
Frozen Gimbap Sells Out in the U.S....
Seaweed and Rice Exports Rise
"How Did Gimbap Become a Global Sensation?"
The Netflix animated film "K-Pop Demon Hunters" (abbreviated as "Kedeheon") has sparked a global sensation, ranking first in the film category in more than 40 countries within just one week of its release. Additionally, seven songs from the movie simultaneously entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The film's worldwide popularity has even led to a surge of interest in "Korean gimbap," which appeared briefly in the movie, and a "gimbap mukbang" challenge is spreading rapidly around the globe.
Taking a Whole Bite Like the Main Character... SNS Challenge Spreads Worldwide
The scene where the main character, Rumi, takes a big bite out of an entire roll of gimbap left a strong impression on international fans. Various social networking services (SNS) have been flooded with posts and videos related to "gimbap." On TikTok, videos imitating the scene?dubbed the "gimbap one-bite challenge"?have gone viral. A video titled "Rumi's gimbap from K-Pop Demon Hunters" has garnered 442,000 views and 11,000 likes, drawing significant attention.
On Instagram, the hashtag "#gimbap" has been used more than 180,000 times, while on TikTok, over 17,000 related videos have been posted, turning gimbap into a global meme. One video by an international user showing how to make gimbap has surpassed 22 million views, with English comments such as "I'm addicted to gimbap," "I want to try it too," "Please share the recipe," and "I love Korean food" pouring in.
Frozen Gimbap Sells Out in the U.S.... Seaweed and Rice Exports Rise
Global interest in gimbap has been building for several years. In 2023, frozen gimbap released at the American grocery chain Trader Joe's sold out within just a few weeks. At that time, a tasting video of the frozen gimbap posted by Korean American influencer Sarah Ahn went viral on TikTok, exceeding 14 million views and dramatically boosting interest in gimbap.
This enthusiasm soon translated into a surge in exports of rice-based processed foods, including gimbap. According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, last year’s export value of rice-based processed foods such as frozen gimbap and instant rice reached 440 billion won, a 38.4% increase from the previous year. In particular, the growth rate of rice-based processed food exports to the United States was the highest at 51.0%.
Seaweed, a core ingredient of gimbap, is also rapidly expanding its market share thanks to global demand. In 2023, Korea’s seaweed exports surpassed 1 trillion won for the second time in history, and the number of export destinations nearly doubled from 2010, reaching 122 countries. Korea currently maintains a dominant position, accounting for over 70% of the global seaweed market share.
"How Did Gimbap Become a Global Sensation?"
Analysts point out that the popularity of gimbap is not only due to the food’s inherent appeal, but also to its organic integration with the content industry. In March of this year, The Washington Post published an article titled "How Korea's gimbap went from comfort food to global sensation," analyzing the reasons behind gimbap’s worldwide popularity. The article explained that the global attention on gimbap was fueled by the popularity of the ENA drama "Extraordinary Attorney Woo," in which the main character’s breakfast of gimbap caught the eyes of viewers around the world.
Experts note that gimbap’s image as a healthy food, its convenience, the freedom to combine various ingredients, and its satiating quality all align well with global demand. There are also calls for strategic promotion and systematic global marketing to further establish gimbap as a leading "K-food" brand.
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