Tourists discover Korea's deeper culinary attractions
Once drawn largely to iconic dishes like kimchi, bulgogi and bibimbap, international tourists are now embracing faster fare like steaming bowls of instant noodles, rolls of gimbap and an expanding array of convenience-store snacks to reflect a growing fascination with Korea’s everyday food culture, according to government data released Monday. The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) said its analysis of foreign credit card transactions from 2018 through July this year showed steady growth in spending on what Koreans regard as “everyday” food items. Experts say the surge in demand reflects Korea’s accessible yet adventurous dining landscape, with fine dining and comfort food both thriving. The global rise of Korean cultural content has further amplified the reach of "K-food," with cooking scenes in dramas, celebrity snack endorsements and viral mukbang livestreams all fueling Korea’s expanding culinary influence. With a 35 percent jump, ice cream topped the list in terms of annual growth in credit card spending, followed by convenience store meals at 34 percent and waffles and cro
