"That Milk from Social Media" K-Banana Milk Takes Over Even Myeongdong Clothing Stores

Gaining Popularity Through New Combinations Like Mixing with Coffee
From a K-Drama Beverage to a Must-Have Tourist Item
Celebrity Influence: From Jensen Huang to Hailey Bieber

Banana milk is making a comeback. This time, it is not Korean consumers but foreign tourists visiting Korea who are at the center of the craze. The yellow jar-shaped drink, made familiar through K-dramas and social media, has spread beyond convenience stores to clothing shops, beauty stores, and even hotel refrigerators. While banana milk is a nostalgic beverage for Koreans, it has become a "drinking Korean travel proof item" for foreigners.

Banana milk, a nostalgic drink for Koreans, has become a "drinkable Korean travel proof item" for foreigners. Photo by The Asia Business Daily Database

On June 26, Yonhap News focused on how banana milk, once the representative beverage of convenience stores, is now emerging as an essential "K-tourism item" among foreign tourists. Riding this wave of popularity, not only convenience stores but also clothing shops, beauty stores, and K-food marts across different business sectors are jumping into selling banana milk.

It is now a common sight in the Myeongdong commercial district to see foreign tourists who came to shop for cosmetics or clothing also picking up banana milk from the refrigerated section next to the checkout counter. What has fueled its recent surge in popularity is the so-called "banana milk latte." At convenience stores, customers buy an ice cup, pouch-style coffee, and banana milk, then mix them themselves. Rather than buying a ready-made product, travelers create their own combination, making it a unique experiential content. International media have also taken notice of this trend. The UK's Guardian introduced the Korean-style combination of banana milk and coffee last year, noting that banana milk is used to add a smooth texture and fruity aroma to coffee, and also highlighted that Korea’s banana milk has been a popular beverage since the 1970s.

The recently popular trend is the so-called 'Banana Milk Latte.' This involves buying an ice cup, pouch-style coffee, and banana milk at a convenience store and mixing them yourself. Since travelers combine the ingredients themselves instead of purchasing a ready-made product, it has become a unique experiential content. Screenshot from SNS

The American lifestyle media outlet Better Homes & Gardens also introduced banana coffee as a summer beverage trend. Citing data from Yelp, a U.S.-based crowdsourcing review platform, the outlet reported that between June 2024 and June 2025, searches for "banana bread latte" rose by 6,267%, "banana latte" by 1,573%, and "banana coffee" by 348%. India's Times of India also analyzed that the spread of Korean-style banana milk lattes overseas is linked to the growing global interest in K-pop and K-dramas. The outlet cited the sweet banana milk’s ability to soften the bitterness of coffee and how easy it is to make at home or at convenience stores as key reasons for its popularity.

Cute Packaging Plays a Role... "A Drinkable Souvenir"

The product’s strong appeal comes not just from its taste, but also from its appearance. Binggrae explains that since the launch of Banana Flavored Milk in 1974, it has maintained a jar-shaped container inspired by the moon jar. The rounded bottle shape is more photogenic for foreign tourists than ordinary paper-pack milk or canned drinks. In the hospitality industry, banana milk is also being used as a "welcome drink." An operator of accommodations for foreigners in Myeongdong said, "Since early this year, we have been offering banana milk instead of bottled water or juice. Guests love it because it feels like a gift of Korean convenience store culture."

Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, is taking a commemorative photo with Koo Kwang-mo, LG Chairman, during a pork belly dinner meeting with Chey Tae-won, SK Chairman, and Lee Hae-jin, Naver Chairman, at a barbecue restaurant in Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul on June 5, 2026. Photo by Dongju Yoon

In particular, after CEO Jensen Huang’s visit to Korea in June, sales of related food products increased. This was because CEO Huang distributed banana milk to citizens during a meeting at a barbecue restaurant in Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, with SK Chairman Chey Tae-won, LG Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, and Naver Chairman Lee Hae-jin. Afterward, the supply of Banana Flavored Milk at convenience stores near Hongdae more than tripled compared to usual, and GS25’s nationwide sales increased by 12% year-on-year.

In fact, at convenience stores and large supermarkets in the Myeongdong area, banana milk is being displayed in bulk at the center of stores or in refrigerated sections near the checkout counter. In an interview with Yonhap News, a convenience store employee surnamed Choi said, "Banana milk sells out as quickly as we stock it, just like triangle kimbap and sandwiches. Many customers take certification photos or videos immediately after purchasing it."

"K-Food Expands from Meals to Snacks and Desserts"

Experts view the banana milk craze as a sign of changing consumption patterns for K-food. Whereas K-food was once recognized by foreigners mainly as meal-type dishes like kimchi, bulgogi, and bibimbap, there is now growing interest in items that can be enjoyed casually, such as convenience store snacks, desserts, and street food.

The strong appeal as much as the taste lies in the product's appearance. Binggrae explains that since the launch of Banana Flavored Milk in 1974, it has maintained a jar-shaped container inspired by the moon jar. The rounded bottle shape serves as a better photo element for foreign tourists compared to regular paper-pack milk or canned beverages. Screenshot from SNS

Cultural critic Kim Hunsik told Yonhap News, "Bananas are a familiar ingredient to foreigners, so there is little sense of unfamiliarity with the taste, and banana milk carries symbolic value as a beloved beverage among Koreans for a long time. This aligns with the demand from foreign tourists who want to experience the everyday lifestyle of Koreans as locals do."

He added, "Young foreign tourists these days are more sensitive to foods that can be enjoyed lightly, like snacks, desserts, and street food, rather than formal meals. Banana milk is affordable and perfect for sharing on social media, which makes it highly scalable as a travel product."

Ultimately, banana milk has gone beyond being just a beverage to become a "drinkable Korean travel souvenir." Taking photos with the yellow jar-shaped bottle, mixing it with convenience store coffee, and discovering it in a hotel refrigerator—all combine to create memorable moments that complete the Korean travel experience.

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