Visitors eat instant noodles at a convenience store in Seoul, Jan. 11. Yonhap
The Korean Wave, also known as hallyu, is rapidly diversifying beyond music to reshape global lifestyles, influencing what people buy, eat, read and where they travel, according to a new government report, Wednesday.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism released its annual analysis of trends in the global market in 2025, finding that Korean cultural products are evolving into daily lifestyle content that is changing consumer behavior worldwide.
Lee Eun-bok, director of overseas public relations policy for the ministry, said the latest analysis confirmed that the Korean wave has become a key component in popularizing Korea's image worldwide.
"Hallyu has become a major strategic asset that drives national brand value and industrial competitiveness as it has moved beyond a simple content trend," Lee said.
The findings draw on data collected from 30 countries, combining 5,608 overseas media reports gathered through 35 Korean Cultural Centers and seven cultural promotion offices, alongside approximately 1.49 million hallyu-related posts and mentions from social media platforms including YouTube and X.
Taiwanese tourists take a commemorative photo with staff dressed as characters from the Netflix animation "KPop Demon Hunters" at a Korea Welcome Week booth installed at the entrance of Gyeongju Station in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Nov. 1, 2025. Korea Times photo by Kim Jae-hyun
The rise of Korean cuisine has emerged as one of the most prominent features of this cultural shift.
The ministry found that hit programs like Netflix’s cooking show “Culinary Class Wars” and the global sensation “Squid Game” series have played a crucial role in bringing Korean dishes to the international spotlight. Kimchi remained the most frequently mentioned food item with an 8.8 percent share of related keywords, while soju and bibimbap also saw significant numbers of mentions.
Netflix’s animated feature “KPop Demon Hunters” also demonstrated how Korean lifestyle elements can drive global consumption.
Source: Korea Times News
