In the United States, news has recently spread that ‘Tteokbokki’, which is synonymous with Korean street food, is gaining great popularity.
According to foreign media such as NBC on the 3rd (local time), sales of Tteokbokki in the form of meal kits increased rapidly at large supermarkets and online shopping malls in the United States. Thanks to the popularity of tteokbokki, restaurants specializing in tteokbokki are also increasing.
NBC analyzed that “the spread of Korean popular culture has helped to accelerate interest in more diverse Korean food.” The media explained that interest in tteokbokki increased as BTS member Jimin recently ate tteokbokki at Dongdaemun Market in Seoul, spreading around social media.
In addition, he analyzed that the popularity of Korean movies and entertainment programs is raising interest in Korean food, citing the case of ramen ‘Cjapaguri (Cjapaghetti + Neoguri)’, which appeared in director Bong Joon-ho’s movie ‘Parasite’.
BTS Jimin (left) and Suga eating tteokbokki. Capture from YouTube ‘BANGTANTV’In October 2021, O’Food, a global company that produces Korean groceries, began selling instant packaged tteokbokki through online retailers such as Walmart and Amazon in the United States. Annual sales last year increased by more than 450% compared to the previous year.
The ‘Witch Toppoki’ restaurant in New York operates a store by providing a menu where customers can choose different types of rice cakes such as wheat and sweet potato, as well as various sauces such as rosé and carbonara.
‘Dongdaemun Yeopgi Tteokbokki’, which opened a branch in Los Angeles in 2015, is becoming a hot topic among locals as a challenge. The hashtag “#KtownSpicychallenge” is running on SNS such as Instagram.
Chef Huni Kim, who sells take-out tteokbokki in New York, told NBC, “With the recent K-culture boom in Korean movies, dramas, and music, Korean food has gone from becoming popular to being accepted as hip, cool, and worth trying.” did.
He said, “For those who have never eaten Korean food, but like BTS and the movie ‘Parasite,’ the psychological entry barrier to Korean food will be low.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.