"To Eat Like This Every Day...I'm Jealous of Korea": U.S. High Schoolers Casually Mixing Cabbage and Saying "We Love Kimchi" [K-holic]

Representative K-food "kimchi"
Featured in U.S. dietary guidelines
Exports on the rise...overseas demand expanding

Editor's NoteGlobal interest in Korean culture is growing rapidly. Korean-related products and content such as K-food and K-beauty are permeating every aspect of overseas consumers' daily lives, going beyond a niche maniac fan base. [K-holic] sheds light on the "Korea craze" being spotted around the world and examines why overseas consumers are paying attention to Korea.

Kimchi, widely regarded as a representative K-food, is expanding its presence in the global market, including the United States. At a school in New York, students recently took part in a hands-on kimchi-making class, and some countries have gone so far as to designate an official "Kimchi Day" as a national observance, demonstrating sustained interest. As the healthy image unique to fermented foods combines with the broader spread of K-food, overseas demand for kimchi is expected to continue to grow.

"I thought it was just spicy"...New York high schoolers make kimchi

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT), on the 10th (local time), Democracy Prep Charter High School, a public high school in Manhattan, New York, held a kimchi-making experience program and a K-food lunch event with about 100 students and staff participating.

Alex, an 11th grader at the school (equivalent to the second year of high school in Korea), said, "I only knew that kimchi was a spicy food," adding, "After making it myself, it feels like something that goes really well with sandwiches, hamburgers, and tacos." Math teacher Emily Chen said, "Kimchi has made the country of Korea feel much closer," and added, "From now on, I will encourage my students to eat healthy kimchi more often."

After the hands-on event, lunch boxes consisting of rice and kimchi, along with bulgogi, japchae, and assorted jeon, were served. Jayden, a 12th grader who tried the meal, said, "Making kimchi myself makes it feel more special," and added, "I envy Korean students who get to eat this kind of lunch every day."

Kimchi draws attention from the U.S. government..."Good for the gut"

Pixabay

The revision of U.S. federal dietary guidelines also appears to have played a role in driving local interest in kimchi. On January 7, the Trump administration released the "Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025-2030." These guidelines will serve as the standard for all nutrition policies run by the federal government over the next five years, including school lunches, military meal plans, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for low-income households.

Kimchi drew particular attention this time as it was included among the officially recommended foods. Under the "gut health" section, kimchi is listed as a fermented food that helps maintain the diversity of the microbiome (gut microorganisms), and German-style pickled cabbage sauerkraut, fermented dairy drink kefir, and Japanese fermented soybean paste miso are also mentioned alongside it.

Kimchi is one of Korea's most iconic dishes, made by salting napa cabbage and radish and then seasoning them with red pepper powder, garlic, ginger, and other ingredients before allowing them to ferment. A key feature is that the various beneficial bacteria and metabolites produced during fermentation can have positive effects on gut health and immune function. In the early stage after kimchi is made, there are about 100,000 lactic acid bacteria per gram of kimchi, but once it is fully fermented, that number soars to more than 100 million. Thanks to this characteristic of a dramatic increase in lactic acid bacteria during the aging process, kimchi is regarded as a representative healthy fermented food.

Bright outlook for the kimchi market..."Global demand is rising"

In line with this trend, overseas distribution networks are also expanding rapidly. In the past, Korean-made kimchi was mainly sold through Korean grocery stores, but recently, major U.S. big-box and supermarket chains such as Costco, Walmart, and Whole Foods Market have begun carrying it in earnest.

As interest in health has grown, exports have also been on the rise. According to export-import statistics from the Korea Customs Service, Korea's kimchi export value more than doubled from 79 million dollars in 2016 to 164 million dollars in 2025. By country, Japan accounted for the largest share at 34.2 percent, followed by the United States at 26.6 percent. In the United States, the United Kingdom, and other countries, "Kimchi Day" has been designated as an official commemorative day, reflecting growing cultural interest as well.

The future market outlook is also positive. Market research firm Global Market Insights projects that the global kimchi market will reach 6.5 billion dollars (about 9.4 trillion won) by 2034. From 2025 to 2034, the compound annual growth rate is forecast at 6.1 percent. Global Market Insights noted, "As awareness of gut health increases, global demand for kimchi is growing," and added, "Kimchi is increasingly being used in a wide range of global dishes, including tacos and burgers."