Expectations Grow for K-Food, Beauty, and Tourism
Amid the Korean Wave Content Boom
The Netflix animation "K-Pop Demon Hunters" (Kedeheon) has sparked a global box office sensation, significantly increasing worldwide interest in Korea.
According to Google Search Trends on the 20th, the global search volume for "Korea" reached its highest level in two years and eight months during the week starting on the 17th, the highest since the end of 2022. Since "Kedeheon" was released on June 20, searches for the keyword "Korea" have nearly doubled. Interest in Korea, as reflected in Google search volume, is now even higher than it was immediately after the declaration of martial law in December last year. If the current search volume is set at 100, the search volume during the week (1st to 7th) when President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law was 99.
Searches for "Korean Food" also surged by 75% after the release of Kedeheon, reaching an all-time high. Scenes featuring characters eating not only gimbap and ramen but also sundae, seolleongtang, naengmyeon, and snacks have fueled this growing interest in Korean cuisine. In fact, various social networking services (SNS) have been flooded with videos of people participating in the "Gimbap Challenge," imitating the scene where the main character Lumi takes a big bite of a whole gimbap roll.
Expectations Rise for K-Food, Beauty, and Tourism Amid Korean Wave Content Boom
As the Kedeheon craze is expected to lead to increased purchases of Korean products, including K-food, and boost tourism, more companies are seeking to capitalize on this trend. Nongshim will introduce products featuring characters from the film, such as the girl group Huntrix, Sajaboys, and Tiger Duffy, on the packaging of some domestic and overseas products like Shin Ramyun and Saewookkang. In the animation, the cup ramen eaten by Huntrix members is labeled with the Chinese character "Shin" (神) for "spirit" instead of the usual "Shin" (辛) for "spicy," reminiscent of the Nongshim brand, which inspired the collaboration. Samsung Electronics has also launched a marketing campaign by offering a free Galaxy theme based on Kedeheon until the 12th of next month.
The cosmetics industry is also hopeful about the economic impact of Kedeheon. With the animation trending, there are expectations that Korean cosmetics, already popular overseas, will benefit from a synergistic effect.
The tourism industry predicts that the Korean cultural elements embedded in Kedeheon will further boost the demand from foreign tourists to visit Korea. The animation features iconic Seoul landmarks reminiscent of Bukchon Hanok Village and Namsan Tower, as well as scenes of characters performing in hanbok or relaxing at public bathhouses. In fact, as of the end of July this year, the number of foreign visitors to the National Museum of Korea reached about 200,000, an increase of over 50% compared to the same period last year. Merchandise such as the "Kkachi Tiger" badge and other "MU:DS" products featured in the film are also selling out.
The securities industry has issued positive forecasts that the spread of Korean soft power, as exemplified by "Kedeheon," will lead to a revaluation of domestic cosmetics, food, and entertainment stocks. In a report released the previous day, NH Investment & Securities researcher Na Jeonghwan stated, "The spread of Korean Wave content such as K-pop, dramas, and movies goes beyond simple cultural consumption and stimulates demand for visiting Korea," adding, "As the number of tourists increases, foreigners will purchase cosmetics and experience street food, thereby expanding their consumption."
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