Today, technology and media are driving forces behind rising trends, and food is no exception. Just as new technology impacts the way we consume food (think TV dinners, drive-thrus, + online ordering), it also influences what foods we consume. As social media continues to increase connectivity between cultures, international cuisines seep deeper into American culture.

In recent years, Korean culture has risen in popularity in the US mainly due to Korean media influences. BTS, a K-pop band, has had nearly 2.56 billion streams in the US since 2021. South Korea’s “Parasite”, won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2020. The South Korean dystopian series “Squid Game” captured the world’s attention this past fall and became Netflix’s most-watched series ever. This rise in consumption of Korean culture has subsequently led to increasing demand and interest in Korean cuisine, and at the center of that is Korean Street Food.

The Korean Taco emerged from Rob Choi’s Kogi truck and provided Los Angeles with an exciting twist on the classic Mexican dish. His recipe to success was simple: take something that Americans love and shake it up by adding Korean flare and flavors. Fortunately for us, this success didn’t stop on the west coast. Korean tacos made their way to the east popularized by Phil Lee’s Kimchi Taco. His method to increasing accessibility to Korean street-food was simple, literally, by simplifying it.

Korean food has taken a front row seat in the American diet and is continuously hitting the spot with Gen Z on social media (thank you TikTok).

Need a Korean food fix ASAP? Try out these spots below ⬇️

Snackpass Partners 🤝

• Bonchon - CA, NY, MA, NC, DE

• Umma’s House - GA

• KBG Korean BBQ & Grill - NJ

• Kang’s Korean Restaurant - MI

• The Koop Korean Chicken & Cuisine - PA

• Oh K- Dog - CT

Most Requested Stores by Snackpass Users 👀

• Seoul Hotdog (Berkeley, CA)

• Den Den Korean Fried Chicken (Providence, RI)

• Hola Seoul (Ann Arbor, MI)

• Kpod (Philadelphia, PA)

• Gogobop Korean Rice Bar - (Los Angeles, CA)

• Del Seoul - (Chicago, IL)

  
  

Top Takeaways ✍️

1️⃣ Social media has both the power to spread culture AND determine where it goes. For Korean street food, all it takes to spread is a few viral videos reaching the right audience of eaters that are willing to try something new.

2️⃣  As far as shaping how culture moves forward, different creators may put their own spin on a traditional classic, adding their own metaphorical “spice” and spreading this updated version across the globe 🌎

3️⃣  Staying up to date on the latest forms of media and technology can help your business thrive ⚡️ Here’s our top tip to help stay current 👇

🎥  Post videos on social media. TikTok and Instagram Reels have become an increasingly popular forms of media, so drive more people to your restaurant through short-form videos.