[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] SEOUL, South Korea – The worldwide success of Netflix’s animated film “K-Pop Demon Hunters” (KDH) has sparked a significant rise in global interest in Korea, Korean food, and related cultural products.
According to Google Trends data released on August 20, global searches for “Korea” reached their highest level in nearly three years during the week of August 17, marking the strongest interest since late 2022. Since the film’s release on June 20, searches for “Korea” have nearly doubled. Searches for “Korean Food” have also surged by 75%, setting a new record high.
The film prominently features traditional and popular Korean dishes such as gimbap, ramen, sundae (blood sausage), seolleongtang (ox bone soup), naengmyeon (cold noodles), and snacks. On social media platforms, fans have launched a viral “Gimbap Challenge”, mimicking the main character Lumi devouring an entire roll of gimbap in one bite.
The cultural impact is already extending to business. Food giant Nongshim is introducing limited-edition packaging for products such as Shin Ramyun and Shrimp Crackers, featuring characters from the film’s fictional K-pop groups “Huntrix,” “Lion Boys,” and “Tiger Duffy.” Samsung Electronics has also released a free Galaxy smartphone theme inspired by the movie, available until September 12.
The cosmetics industry expects a ripple effect as well, anticipating that the global KDH trend will further boost the popularity of K-beauty products overseas. Industry analysts believe the KDH phenomenon could translate into broader gains for Korean food, consumer goods, and tourism.
알파경제 Kim Jisun (stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
