The Bomdong bibimbap craze is not new... Kang Hodong's past eating show went viral
Mentions surge 888% in the past 10 days... Bomdong price also up 29%
As the explosive popularity of the Dubai Jjondeuk Cookie (Dujjonku) has begun to wane, searches for "Bomdong bibimbap" on social media services (SNS) are reportedly surging. Thanks to short-form (brief video) content showcasing the quick preparation process and eating shows, the prices of ingredients such as Bomdong are also rising.
Recent activity across SNS shows a flood of videos and posts from users certifying that they made and ate "Bomdong bibimbap." One user on X (formerly Twitter) commented, "Rather than a trend, it's a classic, a tradition," adding, "The sweet and crunchy Bomdong mixed with spicy and tangy seasoning, plus the nutty aroma of sesame oil... it is a taste that awakens the soul of Koreans."
Another user wrote, "I much prefer Korean food being in vogue over desserts like Dujjonku. It tastes good, and I hope our seasonal, local ingredients and dishes become widely known."
The Bomdong bibimbap craze is not new... A hot topic over 20 years ago thanks to Kang Hodong's eating show
This is not the first time Bomdong bibimbap has become a craze. In early 2008, on the KBS variety show 1 Night 2 Days, members including Kang Hodong, Lee Soogeun, Lee Seunggi, and Eun Ji-won visited Dongbaek Village in Yeonggwang, Jeonnam.
Each member became a "grandson for a day" to a grandmother in Dongbaek Village. Kang Hodong visited one grandmother's home and received Bomdong cabbage for fresh kimchi to prepare dinner. The grandmother then made Bomdong geotjeori (fresh kimchi) using soy sauce, sesame oil, and red pepper powder, and Kang Hodong, captivated by the savory aroma and appearance, ended up getting some rice and making bibimbap with it.
Television personality Kang Hodong eating Bomdong Bibimbap during the 2008 KBS variety show 1 Night 2 Days in Dongbaek Village, Yeonggwang, South Jeolla Province. Screenshot from KBS YouTube.
The sight of Kang Hodong eating with such relish became so popular that people joked it cured picky eating among children nationwide. As of February 19, 2026, videos related to "Kang Hodong Bomdong bibimbap" uploaded on YouTube have accumulated around 1 million views.
Mentions surge 888% in the past 10 days... Bomdong price also up 29%
According to SomeTrend, a trend analysis specialist firm, mentions of "Bomdong bibimbap" jumped by 888% from January 19 to February 18.
Mentions are highest on blogs, but the main driver of its popularity appears to be short-form (brief video) content on SNS platforms such as Instagram and YouTube. A Bomdong bibimbap eating show video uploaded on February 11 by YouTuber "Doekki," who has 1.05 million subscribers, has surpassed 790,000 views, while a video posted on February 9 by YouTuber "Tteongkaetteong," who has 5.36 million subscribers, has exceeded 100,000 views. A Bomdong bibimbap video by YouTuber Park Hong, who has 120,000 subscribers, has also recorded 230,000 views.
On the back of this popularity, Bomdong prices are also on the rise. According to price-tracking site Polcent, 500g of domestically produced Bomdong is priced at 3,910 won, up 28.20 percentage points from the average price of 3,050 won. Compared with the lowest price of 2,350 won, this represents a sharp increase of 66.38%. However, prices for bulk products of 1kg or more have remained unchanged.
Experts interpret this phenomenon as a natural shift in trends. A distribution industry expert analyzed, "As the Dujjonku boom subsided, consumers began seeking a new craze, and the combination of Bomdong, a seasonal ingredient, with old video clips has created a new trend."
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