Affordable and Irresistible for Americans: "Ramen and Kimchi Today"?Global Media Praise K-food [K-Wave 3.0]⑤

K-food Targets American Dining Tables with Ramen and Kimchi
K-beauty Surpasses China to Claim Top Spot, Enters Mainstream Markets in New York and LA
Nationwide Expansion Across the United States Remains a Challenge

"Global demand for K-food shows no signs of cooling down."

On January 18 (local time), the U.S. economic news channel CNBC highlighted the global expansion of Korean food, stating this trend. The broadcast specifically identified instant noodles as a key product driving the growth of K-food. As ramen frequently appears in globally popular K-pop and Korean dramas, demand is spreading not only in the United States and Europe but also in Central Asia and the Middle East. The report also noted that rising prices and the increased cost of living are fueling demand for ramen, which is a relatively affordable meal option.

In fact, exports of K-food, including domestic instant noodles, to the United States are surging.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea International Trade Association on January 20, exports of Korean food to the United States reached 1.8 billion dollars (approximately 2.6541 trillion won) last year, up 13.2%. By category, snacks accounted for 260 million dollars (about 383.4 billion won, up 14.4%), instant noodles for 250 million dollars (about 368.6 billion won, up 13.9%), processed rice products for 150 million dollars (about 221.1 billion won, up 8.3%), sauces for 90 million dollars (about 132.7 billion won, up 5.0%), and beverages for 90 million dollars (about 132.7 billion won, up 5.0%). These categories together made up 46.7% of total exports and led the growth. When local production volumes are taken into account, the share of instant noodles is considered even higher.

K-beauty exports have also shown growth. Last year, K-beauty exports to the United States reached a record high of 1.74978 billion dollars (about 2.58 trillion won), up 13.1% year-on-year. The United States has overtaken China to become the largest export market for K-beauty.

A consumer is examining Bibigo products at a major supermarket in the United States. Provided by CJ CheilJedang.

Analysts say this export expansion is the result of K-culture becoming a part of everyday consumption in the U.S. As K-culture consumption in the United States expands from music and video content to daily consumer goods such as food and cosmetics, K-food and K-beauty are now entering the mainstream consumer market. These industries, which were once limited to one-time or experiential consumption, are establishing themselves as new growth drivers in the U.S. market by integrating with local distribution networks.

According to market research firm Statista, the U.S. food market is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 4.5% after 2024, reaching 1.0326 trillion dollars (about 1,522.5687 trillion won) by 2028. Per capita food consumption in the U.S. is estimated at about 2,503 dollars (about 3.69 million won), with a per capita food consumption volume of about 457 kilograms. Since 2020, the average annual growth rate of imports of Korean food products has reached 12.3%.

Jongga Kimchi Global Advertisement at New York Times Square. Sponsored by Daesang.

K-food Makes Inroads into American Dining Tables

When local production is included, the presence of K-food in the U.S. market becomes even greater. Major food companies such as CJ CheilJedang and Nongshim are expanding production and sales based on their U.S. factories. CJ CheilJedang's U.S. sales from January to September last year totaled 3.5676 trillion won, accounting for 41.5% of its total food sales. Considering that its annual sales in 2024 reached 4.7138 trillion won, projections suggest that this year's sales may approach 5 trillion won.

During the same period, Nongshim's U.S. sales reached 446.6 billion won. Samyang Foods has also seen its share of sales from the Americas grow from 15% in 2019 to 28% as of the third quarter of 2025. Instant noodle products such as Shin Ramyun and Buldak Bokkeum Myeon have driven this growth.

Jiwoo Oh, analyst at CGS International, explained, "In the U.S., demand for affordable and convenient meal alternatives is rising due to inflation, which is expanding the noodle market. As the cost of dining out increases, more consumers are choosing instant noodles for their price competitiveness and taste as a way to cut expenses." In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the inflation rate for dining out reached 5.3% in 2021, the highest in 13 years, and soared to 8.8% in March 2023. Although the rate of increase has slowed since then, it still remains at around 4.1% recently.

Kimchi is also expanding its presence in the U.S. market. The U.S. government under Donald Trump included kimchi in its official dietary guidelines, leading to a shift in perception. Once considered an exotic food, kimchi is now being re-evaluated as a healthy fermented food, and demand from overseas consumers is expected to rise. For Daesang's Jongga, the U.S. overtook Japan as its largest export market in 2023. U.S. exports, which stood at 7.24 million dollars (about 10.6 billion won) in 2017, increased to 32.96 million dollars (4.86 billion won) from January to September last year. Daesang is promoting the global expansion of kimchi through collaborations with local brands such as Rockstar Chicken in New York and Korean fine dining restaurant Kkocchi.

Surpassing China to Become No.1... K-beauty Rushes to the U.S.

There is also analysis that K-beauty has entered a phase of global expansion, with the U.S. market as its starting point. Industry insiders note that brands and products that succeed in the U.S. are now expanding to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia via the UK and France. U.S. consumer response and distribution performance are becoming key criteria for global buyers and retailers, positioning the U.S. as the starting point for global beauty trends.

Outdoor advertisement photo of Mediheal Cube at Times Square, New York, USA. Provided by APR.

The rapid establishment of K-beauty in the U.S. is attributed to the growth of e-commerce platforms. Online distribution channels, centered on Amazon and TikTok Shop, have accelerated the pace of expansion. According to NielsenIQ, while offline sales in the global beauty market grew by only 2% over the past 12 months, online sales grew by 19%.

In particular, the spread of social commerce, centered on TikTok Shop, is notable. Through short-form video platforms, product usage and efficacy are intuitively communicated, leading to rapid consumer response. K-beauty's unique marketing approach, which emphasizes ingredients, usage order, efficacy, and price, has increased awareness among U.S. consumers. Having grown online, K-beauty is now moving to expand its offline distribution. The U.S. cosmetics market still has an offline share of about 70%. Accordingly, K-beauty brands are entering offline stores with a limited range of products, gauging consumer response before expanding their shelf space.

Results have been clear. In February last year, Amorepacific launched its derma brand Aestura at Sephora North America, and APR entered more than 1,400 Ulta Beauty stores across the U.S. in August. Dalba Global also accelerated its offline expansion by entering Ulta Beauty in September last year.

The achievements are tangible. Amorepacific's sales in the Americas from January to September last year reached 438.4 billion won, a 23% increase from 356.2 billion won in the same period the previous year. As of the third quarter of last year, 39% of APR's total sales came from overseas, a 16 percentage point increase from 23% in the same period the previous year. For Dalba Global, cumulative exports as of the third quarter last year reached 221.5 billion won, with 62% of total sales (359.5 billion won) coming from overseas markets.

Expansion Beyond Major Regions Across the U.S. Is Key

However, some point out that entry into mainstream consumption in the U.S. is still limited to certain regions. While awareness of K-food and K-beauty has increased in major cities such as New York and Los Angeles, there are still many hurdles to overcome before these products are fully adopted across the vast U.S. market. In the current phase of market expansion, maintaining brand trust and product quality competitiveness is considered more important than short-term results.

Amid growing industry-wide burdens due to recent tariff issues, expanding local production is being discussed as an alternative. However, there are limitations for products like kimchi, where the use of Korean-grown vegetables is crucial. A distribution industry insider commented, "For global expansion centered on the U.S. to continue, it is important to pursue localization strategies along with long-term brand management. The key to future success will be how deeply K-food and K-beauty can penetrate everyday diets and consumer culture across the United States, beyond just major cities."