InterviewAuthentic Korean convenience meals attract foreigners

The global popularity of Korean food has reached a point where convenience store meal boxes, known as “dosirak,” have become part of a new market trend where signature Korean flavors and traditional recipes have become a hit with international visitors and popular in new markets.

Min Jung-hwan, who plans and oversees dosirak production for GS25 at GS Retail’s Merchandise Headquarters, is seeing the shift firsthand. Rather than creating separate products for foreign customers, the retailer is increasingly offering the same dosirak that appeal to Korean consumers, reflecting growing interest in authentic Korean flavors.

“We don’t make dosirak that are specially for foreigners because many of them like what Koreans enjoy. Even at GS25 stores in Vietnam and Mongolia, visitors are interested in authentic Korean-style dosirak. We try to meet such expectations so that they can feel they are inside a Korean convenience store,” Min said in an interview with The Korea Times.

“To serve the rising number of foreigners coming to Korea, we are boosting a pipeline for those with banchan (side dishes) they usually like, including bulgogi (marinated meat), dakgangjeong (fried chicken in sauce) or japchae (stir-fried glass noodles with vegetables).”

Dosirak have continuously evolved alongside Korea’s convenience store industry, driven by their enduring popularity. The changes go beyond the quality of the food, encompassing a wider variety of banchan, more diverse packaging and a growing focus on the tastes and needs of a diverse group of consumers.

The trend is propelled in part by increased prices across retail and dine-in markets, driving the consumers to seek more affordable foods. For those who have to eat meals while on the run, convenience stores have become an ideal spot to grab a bite, with dosirak and other fresh food items rarely exceeding 7,000 won ($5.21).

Min said the trend shows that convenience store foods have evolved beyond their image as cheap, simple meals.

“It is true that 'lunchflation' has heightened people’s sensitivity to how much they have to pay, so it has expanded the markets for affordable convenience store dosirak,” Min said.

“What’s different now from the past is the level of quality. In the past, dosirak had to be cheap and were merely an alternative to ordinary meals. Now, they have become a popular category. They use seasonal ingredients to introduce eye-catching items like spring cabbage bibimbap. They have gotten more expensive, too, but they are still popular among those who are willing to pay for taste satisfaction. Our most popular dosirak is 6,900 won. In the past, those priced below 6,000 won sold the best.”

Marketing efforts have also raised consumers’ expectations. The company has collaborated with Choi Kang-rok, the winner of the second season of Netflix’s “Culinary Class Wars,” on new dosirak. GS25 has also launched a “Dosirak of the Month” program, fueling consumer curiosity and driving sales. "Hyeja Dosirak," featuring actress Kim Hye-ja, has been one of GS25’s signature dosirak since 2010.

“We launched a renewal of GS25 dosirak earlier this month. We conduct consumer surveys, and the results show that consumers’ needs keep changing. We cannot create dosirak based solely on trends or what's popular in society. We need hard data that reflects consumers’ opinions,” Min said.

Launching a new dosirak starts with analyzing current market trends and planning how to target consumers, followed by deciding on the banchan and style. Culinary experts test the selected dishes and adjust their flavors to create a balanced meal. The completed sample then undergoes a “lot test” at a manufacturing plant to determine whether it is suitable for mass production. Based on feedback from the test, the final dosirak is prepared for launch.

Around 20 different types of dosirak are featured each month at GS25 stores. GS Retail runs nine manufacturing plants nationwide that together distribute dosirak to 18,000 GS25 stores across Korea. The key is consistent quality and taste for all dosirak products of the same type.

Launching a new dosirak usually takes about 12 weeks. Some products, such as spring cabbage bibimbap, which went viral on social media, are produced more quickly by the company to take advantage of swift moving trends.

Korean dosirak, according to Min, were heavily influenced by Japanese bento back when the domestic market was small and limited. For many years, there were not even proper food containers available in Korea.

“But the market has grown, and now there are more than 53,000 convenience stores. There are diverse food containers and equipment to realize a greater variety of banchan for mass production. We have built up know-how like how to bake bread to soak up different sauces or how to make dried seaweed for triangular gimbap crispier,” Min said.

“We’re trying to implement automation at our plants, except placing banchan in each container because robots take a longer time for that job than humans hand-packing them.”