"Wow, This Is Addictive": Justin Bieber's Wife Raves About 'Ddungbaratte'... Foreign Tourists Flock to K-Convenience Stores [K-Holic]

Foreign Tourists Flock to "K-Convenience Stores"

Emerging as a New Tourist Hotspot

Convenience Store "Mukbang" Goes Viral on SNS

Editor's NoteInterest in Korean culture is growing rapidly around the world. Korean-related products and content, such as K-Food and K-Beauty, are permeating the daily lives of overseas consumers, reaching far beyond niche enthusiast groups. [K-Holic] sheds light on the "Korean wave" spreading globally and examines why international consumers are paying attention to Korea.

"I really wanted to try 'Ddungbaratte' in Korea."

Among foreign tourists visiting Korea, "convenience stores" are drawing significant attention. In the past, duty-free shops and department stores were considered essential shopping stops, but recently, convenience stores have become popular as spaces where tourists can experience everyday life in Korea up close. Visitors not only taste Korean foods such as instant noodles, triangular kimbap, and banana milk, but also create their own food combinations and share them on social networking services (SNS).

K-Convenience Stores Go Viral on SNS... 'Ddungbaratte' and 'Mark Jeongsik' Gain Popularity

Top American model Hailey Bieber visiting a convenience store in Korea. Instagram.

Recently, posts related to Korean convenience stores have been actively shared on Chinese social media platforms such as Xiaohongshu. Users recommend popular products from Korean convenience stores or share their own reviews after trying them, exchanging information with others.

Especially, posts titled "Must-Buy Items at Korean Convenience Stores" or "Recommended Convenience Store List" are recording high numbers of views. These posts frequently feature products that are easy to find at Korean convenience stores, such as Binggrae Strawberry Milk, Ottogi Sesame Ramen, and HBAF Wasabi Almonds. One Chinese netizen commented, "Korean drinks tend to be on the sweeter side, so if you don't particularly enjoy sweet flavors, it's good to try different products one by one to find your preference." They added, "I often saw scenes of eating ramen in Korean dramas and always wanted to try it. I was surprised to find that there are actually so many different varieties."

The culture of creating and enjoying one's own convenience store food combinations is also gaining popularity. A representative example is "Ddungbaratte," a drink made by mixing banana milk and pouch-style hazelnut coffee in a cup of ice, which has become a sensation among foreign tourists through word of mouth. Hailey Bieber, a world-renowned pop star and model who is also the wife of Justin Bieber, visited a Korean convenience store last month and posted on Instagram after trying Ddungbaratte, saying, "I can't stop drinking this coffee." Additionally, so-called "Mark Jeongsik," which involves adding cup noodle spaghetti and sausages to convenience store tteokbokki, continues to enjoy steady popularity.

Kim, who operates a GS25 store in Songpa-gu, Seoul, said, "In the past, foreign customers mainly asked for Buldak Bokkeum Myeon, but these days, they purchase a variety of products such as banana milk, protein milk, Picnic, Kkokkalcorn, and sausages." He added, "It seems that many foreigners visit after concerts or performances in Jamsil, and it's not uncommon for them to show pictures from SNS and look for the same products."

Travel Trend: Seeking to Experience Local Daily Life

Posts related to Korean convenience stores shared on the Chinese SNS Xiaohongshu. Xiaohongshu

The increase in convenience store visits by foreign tourists appears to be closely linked to the "experiential travel" trend that is spreading, especially among Millennials & Gen Z. Rather than simply touring famous tourist sites, more travelers want to experience the food and culture that locals actually consume.

According to American Express's "2026 Global Travel Trends Report," 89% of Millennials & Gen Z respondents said that making time to enjoy local snacks while traveling is important. The most popular places to find local food were ▲ street food vendors and food trucks (69%), ▲ bakeries (53%), and ▲ grocery stores or supermarkets (50%).

This shows a growing tendency among tourists to seek out food experiences not only at famous restaurants but also in spaces that reflect the daily lives of locals. Korean convenience stores are increasingly recognized as the easiest places to experience Korean food culture and consumer habits, which appears to be attracting more foreign visitors.

Targeting Foreign Demand with K-pop Collaborations

A convenience store in downtown Seoul. Photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

On top of this, the influence of Hallyu content, including K-pop, is further fueling interest. Convenience stores are evolving into spaces where customers can purchase K-pop merchandise and collaborative products, which is attracting even more attention from international tourists.

For instance, CU convenience stores introduced collaborative products featuring the "Little Rise" character to celebrate the release of the group RIIZE's second mini album starting on the 17th of this month. In addition, to commemorate the collaboration, the CU Seongsu Dessert Park Store in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, will operate a pop-up store from June 20 to July 5. At this location, more than 30% of sales come from foreign customers, indicating a high volume of international visitors. GS25 has also begun selling collaborative products to celebrate the release of group BoyNextDoor's first full-length album since the 12th of this month. This strategy is seen as an effort to attract K-pop fandoms to convenience stores and capture foreign demand.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.