What is Korea’s most beloved snack this year? It's linked to ‘KPop Demon Hunters'
Shrimp chips are displayed on the shelves of a large supermarket in Seoul. Yonhap
Nongshim’s iconic shrimp-flavored snack “Saeukkang" has emerged as South Korea’s top-selling snack product in the first half of the year, outperforming long-running favorites such as potato chips and choco pie.
According to Food Industry Statistics Information on Wednesday, Saeukkang recorded 57.8 billion won ($44 million) in retail sales during the first half of the year, maintaining its position as the country’s No. 1 snack product for the second consecutive year. Although sales dipped 1 percent from the same period last year, it still ranked first across all snack categories.
Industry officials say the product’s staying power is closely tied to Nongshim’s recent collaborations targeting younger consumers. The company’s limited-edition Saeukkang packaging featuring characters from the Netflix series “KPop Demon Hunters” gained significant attention on social media and online communities, helping strengthen the brand’s appeal to millennials and Gen Z.
Poka Chips, a leading potato chip from Orion, ranked second with 54.4 billion won in sales. The brand posted an 8.1 percent year-on-year increase for the highest growth rate among the top 10 products. It was followed by Orion’s Choco Pie (47.8 billion won), Lotte Wellfood’s Pepero (42.6 billion won), Nongshim Kellogg’s Pringles (41.8 billion won) and Lotte Wellfood’s Kkokkalcorn (41.2 billion won). Haitai’s Homerun Ball was the only biscuit product to enter the top 10, recording sales of 39.6 billion won.
In overall market share among snack manufacturers, Orion led with 23.8 percent, followed by Nongshim at 23.6 percent, Crown Confectionery at 9.5 percent, Lotte Wellfood at 8.7 percent and Haitai Confectionery at 7.8 percent.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.