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K-Food has firmly established itself as a food trend in the U.S. The growing popularity of frozen gimbap, produced by the Korean food company 'Allgot' and distributed as a private brand product by Trader Joe's, demonstrates that K-Food has undeniably become a distinct category in the American food market. Additionally, CJ, which has made significant investments to enter the U.S. market by acquiring numerous food companies from 'Annie Chun’s' in 2005 to 'Schwann's' in 2019, is now seeing substantial revenue from localized products like 'Bibigo Mandu.' Samyang, boosted by the viral ‘Buldak Bokkeum Myun Challenge,' has also succeeded in securing spots in major U.S. retail channels, showcasing its brand power and recognition. Even staples like Korean fried chicken and Korean BBQ are enjoying a second wave of popularity. However, for the K-Food 2.0 trend to remain sustainable, additional conditions such as synergy through collaboration with K-content, the establishment of K-Food platforms, and government support for meat exports to the U.S. must be in place.

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K-Food has moved beyond a passing trend and is now being embraced as a new food trend in the U.S. In the early 2010s, when people thought of Korean food abroad, bibimbap and bulgogi were all that came to mind. However, now, street foods such as gimbap, hot dogs, ramen, and mandu have joined the scene, propelling the Korean food boom, or 'K-Food 2.0,' beyond just bibimbap and bulgogi. It is no longer strange to find Korean chefs in New York earning Michelin stars for their Korean-inspired dishes, and the area around Koreatown on 32nd Street in Manhattan is crowded even on weekdays. In 2023, the export value of agricultural products reached a record high of $9 billion (about 11 trillion KRW), marking the largest export figure in history. According to the brand power index released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2022, K-content scored 58.5 points, while K-Food scored 66 points. K-Food has thus become a dominant item more popular than K-content. Then came the event that elevated K-Food to the next level—the frozen gimbap craze. From its beginnings at Bukchangdong Sundubu to the rise of Trader Joe’s frozen gimbap, K-Food has evolved significantly in the U.S. Let’s take a look at its journey and current status and explore the path K-Food should take as it moves beyond the 2.0 boom.

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