South Korea offers many types of chicken dishes. The photo shows whole chicken roasted over wood fire, freshly cooked on a charcoal grill. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 24 (Korea Bizwire) — Korean fried chicken has emerged as the most frequently eaten and most beloved Korean dish among global consumers over the past year, according to a new international survey released Sunday.
The annual overseas Korean food consumption study, conducted by South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Food Promotion Institute, surveyed 11,000 consumers across major cities in 22 countries.
The findings show that bibimbap, kimchi and especially Korean-style fried chicken continue to anchor the rising global profile of Korean cuisine.
Korean fried chicken ranked as the “most preferred Korean dish” with 14 percent, followed by kimchi at 9.5 percent and bibimbap at 8.2 percent. Bulgogi, ramen, grilled pork belly and kimchi fried rice rounded out the top choices.
In terms of consumption frequency, fried chicken (28.3 percent) and kimchi (28 percent) were nearly tied as the most commonly eaten Korean foods in the past year, followed by bibimbap, ramen and bulgogi.
Awareness of Korean cuisine reached a record high, with 68.6 percent of respondents saying they were familiar with Korean food, up nearly three percentage points from last year.
Satisfaction was strong: 94.2 percent of those who had tried Korean food said they were pleased with it, while 80.6 percent expressed willingness to eat it again — crossing the 80 percent mark for the first time.
South Korea offers many types of chicken dishes. The photo shows yangnyeom chicken, known for its sweet yet savory flavor. (Yonhap)
Nearly 72 percent of respondents had visited a Korean restaurant in the past year, and more than 90 percent said they intended to return.
Cities showing above-average satisfaction and revisit intention included Ho Chi Minh City, Manila, Shanghai, Jakarta, Beijing, London, Dubai, São Paulo, Sydney and Hong Kong. Tokyo, Rome, Paris, Taipei, Singapore and Toronto ranked lower, with Tokyo recording the lowest satisfaction for the second year in a row.
The survey also highlighted the influence of Korean pop culture abroad: 65.1 percent of respondents said they became interested in trying Korean food after experiencing Korean dramas, music or other cultural content, underscoring the reinforcing effect of “Hallyu” on global culinary trends.
Based on the findings, the agriculture ministry said it plans to expand region-specific promotional strategies, support overseas Korean restaurants, and link Korean cuisine marketing with K-content and ready-to-eat meal products.
“Korean food is increasingly recognized worldwide as healthy and fresh,” said Jeong Kyung-seok, director of food industry policy at the ministry. “We will strengthen strategies tailored to each region and expand certification for outstanding Korean restaurants abroad to elevate the global standing of Korean cuisine.”
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
