"Tastes Better Than Most Restaurants"... Foreigners Are Hooked on 'This Food' at Korean Convenience Stores [K-Holic]

Foreigners Buying Gimbap at Convenience Stores
Frozen Gimbap Also Gaining Popularity Overseas
"Strong Interest in Korean Dishes with Great Taste and Competitive Prices"

Editor's NoteInterest in Korean culture is growing rapidly around the world. Korean products and content, including K-food and K-beauty, are becoming part of the everyday lives of consumers overseas, extending beyond niche fan communities. [K-Holic] spotlights the “Korean wave” taking hold around the world and examines why consumers overseas are turning their attention to Korea.

"Convenience store gimbap tastes better than food from most restaurants."

Convenience store gimbap is gaining popularity among foreign tourists visiting Korea. As interest in K-food grows, gimbap is becoming a popular food choice for travelers to Korea.

K-gimbap is growing in popularity among foreigners. Tourists visiting Korea are turning to gimbap for a quick meal at convenience stores, while frozen gimbap is also gaining popularity in overseas markets, including the United States. Analysts say that as interest in K-food grows, gimbap, an everyday Korean food, is also winning over consumers overseas.

Convenience Store Gimbap Sales Surge...Winning Over Foreign Tourists

Convenience stores in Korea have recently seen an increase in foreign tourists buying gimbap. GS25, a convenience store chain operated by GS Retail, reported that sales in its gimbap category rose 36.2% from the same period a year earlier between October 1 and 15.

Products based on dishes that have attracted attention among foreign tourists are also receiving a positive response. On October 16, GS25 launched its Buldak Cheese Omelet Gimbap, inspired by a Buldak omelet recipe that drew attention overseas as a Myeongdong street food. The product recorded cumulative sales of 500,000 units within a month of its launch.

AI-generated images

Convenience store chain CU also announced in October that cumulative sales of its get Morning Mini Gimbap, launched in January, had exceeded 4 million units. More than 100,000 mini gimbap products were purchased by foreign tourists. By nationality, Chinese tourists bought the most, followed by Japanese, American, and Taiwanese tourists.

Convenience and a Variety of Fillings...Why Gimbap Is Popular

A review of Korean convenience store gimbap posted on Xiaohongshu, a Chinese social media platform.

Demand for foreign tourists to experience everyday Korean food culture is driving them to convenience store gimbap. As convenience store food has gained exposure through Korean dramas, YouTube, and social media, convenience stores themselves have become a tourist destination.

Gimbap's convenience and variety of ingredients are also factors that appeal to foreigners. It lets them enjoy rice and seaweed with a range of ingredients, such as vegetables, eggs, and meat, all in one bite, and it can be eaten easily without any cooking utensils. The wide variety, including tuna gimbap, pork cutlet gimbap, and anchovy gimbap, also makes it appealing because people can choose according to their preferences.

K-content has also helped raise gimbap's profile. In the Netflix animated film K-Pop Demon Hunters, released in 2025, the main characters enjoy gimbap and other street foods before a performance. A scene of them eating gimbap whole, without cutting it, drew attention, and the “one-bite gimbap” challenge became popular on TikTok.

Frozen Gimbap Also Draws Attention Overseas...“Lowering Barriers to Access”

Photo unrelated to any specific expression in the article. Pixabay

Thanks to gimbap's convenience and variety, frozen gimbap is also attracting attention in overseas markets, including the United States. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the Korea Food Safety Information Service reported that food industry exports reached $7.86318 billion (approximately 11.8 trillion won) last year, up 8.3% from the previous year. Exports of some convenience foods, including frozen gimbap, rose by 180.9% year over year.

Accessibility and convenience are cited as factors behind frozen gimbap's popularity. In its “2025 Korea Trends” report, global market research firm Ipsos said of the appeal of frozen gimbap: “Consumers who have difficulty finding Korean restaurants or grocery stores have had few opportunities to try gimbap. Making it at home can also be a hassle.” It added, “Frozen gimbap has removed these barriers,” explaining that “it is a convenient and healthy food that lets people quickly have a meal without complicated preparation.”

Its competitive price is another factor behind its popularity. According to the report, frozen gimbap sells for about $3.99, less than the $7 to $12 charged for gimbap locally. Analysts say the relatively low price has also influenced consumers' purchasing decisions. The report explained, “Convenience foods such as ramen, gimbap, and tteokbokki have recently been gaining popularity around the world,” adding that “Korean dishes with great taste and competitive prices are attracting strong interest, particularly among young consumers and busy people.”

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