Trendwatch: Why we’re all craving Korean cuisine

Has the UK gone Korea-mad?

In a word, yes. And it’s not only Brits that have a case of K-fever – around the world consumers of all ages – but especially younger shoppers – are inspired by Korean food and culture, and this offers a valuable opportunity for retailers.

“The global rise of K-culture from films and K-dramas to music and beauty has played a huge role in the popularity of Korean food,” explains Herein No, founder of Miss Kim. “Audiences are constantly seeing what Koreans actually eat on screen. The food looks visually different, bold and exciting, which naturally sparks huge curiosity.”

“K-pop, K-dramas, and K-beauty opened the world’s eyes to Korean culture, and now K-food is the natural next craving,” agrees Judy Joo, founder of Seoul Bird.

Why has this trend taken hold?

There is a delicious alchemy at the heart of Korean food and drink which makes it both attractive and addictive, particularly for Western palates. We’re all familiar with the concept of a ‘bliss point’ – that careful balance of salt, sweet and fat that makes UPFs so moreish (entirely by design) – and Korean food offers up an entire menu of bliss points for 2026’s shopper, totally naturally thanks to its history of fermentation and sweet/tangy bullseye.

“Korean cuisine has always been a hidden gem – layered, soulful, and deeply rooted in balance and fermentation, and now the world is finally catching up,” says Judy.

“There’s an intoxicating alchemy in the way Korean food dances between spice, sweetness, smoke, and tang. It’s emotional eating, comforting yet thrilling, ancient yet endlessly reinventable.”

What can I stock to get involved?

Many of the ingredients that make Korean food so darn delicious are becoming familiar in British kitchens. Gochujang (fermented chilli paste) and kimchi are leading the charge, and well-known staples such as sesame oil and seeds, garlic and ginger – especially when partnered with ganjang (Korean soy sauce) – can offer up the foundational taste of Korea without anyone having to step too far out of their comfort zone.

Those looking to branch out into more speciality products should look out for doenjang (fermented soybean paste) and gochugaro (Korean chilli flakes), both at the heart of the rich and tangy flavour profile we’ve all fallen in love with.

Dried anchovies provide easy depth to stocks, while kelp and laver seaweeds offer a saline depth with subtle sweetness.

A case for condiments

“Condiments have always played a key part in accessing around-the-world flavours, and Korean cuisine is no exception,” says Becca Chapman of Tracklements. “Where Korean-fusion has been in demand, we’ve seen shoppers using the best tasting condiments they already know and love to create their own versions of Korean-inspired cuisine.”

Don’t feel you have to recreate the contents of a specialist Asian supermarket in your shelves, though – with experimentation the name of the game and some shoppers nervous about spending out on unknown ingredients, you may already have some Korean pantry staples in stock. See: sesame, ginger, garlic and seaweed above, plus the all-powerful Sriracha.

“We’ve seen shoppers use condiments they’ve already got and purchase regularly, like our Sriracha Chilli Sauce, as a substitute for Gochujang (or alongside!) to add heat to their Korean-inspired dishes,” explains Becca.

How about drinks?

“There’s a lot to be excited about when it comes to Korean spirits,” begins Dawn Davies, buying director at The Whisky Exchange. “Traditional Soju is still the most popular alcoholic drink in Korea, usually served with food, and we recently listed 12 Soju options to cater for demand we’re seeing in the UK.

“We now have whisky from two Korean distilleries available in store and online, including the first ever single cask Korean whisky to be launched outside of Korea, from a distillery called Ki One. This is an area to watch as I think there’s still plenty of growth to come.”

Did you know?

• The ‘K-Wave’ is worth £3.5bn to the UK economy. Beauty and fashion accounts for 42%, with food accounting for the remaining 58%, according to Development Economics for Just Eat
• Korean food-focused TikTok posts by UK users have risen from 10,000 in 2023 to over 17,000 in 2025, according to Bibigo
• Searches for ‘Korean BBQ’ are up more than 60% YOY, with sales of gochujang paste rising more than 70%, Waitrose found