① Bibimbap Tops Google’s Most Searched Recipes
Bibimbap, a Korean dish, has topped the list of the most searched recipes worldwide in Google’s ‘2023 Year in Search’. According to Google’s announcement on the 11th, the recipe that saw the most significant increase in search volume compared to the previous year was Bibimbap.
The country with the highest increase in searches for Bibimbap was India, followed by Singapore and Sweden. Google explained that the country rankings are determined not by absolute search volume, but by the proportion of total searches.
You can find content from foreigners sharing Bibimbap recipes on YouTube and TikTok. These individuals prepare and eat Bibimbap themselves, sharing their taste reviews. The sight of Bibimbap being enjoyed in foreign households can be quite refreshing.
Meanwhile, the popularity of Bibimbap in India, the country that searched for the recipe the most, is attributed to K-dramas. Specifically, Indians have been posting videos of themselves eating Bibimbap on social media, introducing it as “the dish from the drama *Descendants of the Sun*”.
K-dramas have gained immense popularity in India. In 2020, the proportion of Indian Netflix users watching K-dramas increased by more than 370% compared to the previous year, demonstrating the high level of interest in Korean content. Dramas such as ‘Descendants of the Sun’, ‘Squid Game’, ‘Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha’, and ‘Crash Landing on You’ have been popular in India.
K-dramas have seen great success in India since the onset of COVID-19. Even after the pandemic, the popularity of K-dramas in India shows no signs of going down. The BBC reported that “the K-drama fever in India continues unabated even after the pandemic,” adding that “the somewhat exaggerated romance depicted sensually in the dramas suits the taste of Indian viewers”.
② Korean Food Popular Thanks to K-Dramas
The popularity of K-dramas has influenced Korean cuisine as well. Restaurants offering localized versions to cater to Indian tastes are increasing, and fusion Korean dishes combined with Indian food are also emerging. Fried chicken and seasoned chicken became popular in India due to the influence of the drama ‘Boys Over Flowers’. The fried chicken, served with various sauces, has captured the taste buds of Indians.
Korean food featured in dramas has sparked interest among Indians. Korean food, in particular, has been popular as a delivery food during the pandemic. A few years ago, Korean food was a foreign culture to Indians, but their perception of Korean food has changed significantly during the pandemic.
The culture of ordering food for delivery, seen in K-dramas, has led to a surge in interest in Korean food. Not only do Indians order Korean food for delivery, but they also purchase ingredients to cook it themselves. It’s easy to find Korean ingredients locally. Currently, Korean food is becoming mainstream in India. Indian food bloggers are promoting Korean cooking methods on their social media, and more and more Indians are showing interest in Korean food.
③ The Influence of BTS Members
As the Korean Wave sweeps across the globe, the group BTS’s influence has been increasing daily. Any Korean food that the BTS members eat inevitably becomes famous. Korean recipes introduced by the members themselves become hot topics on social media and often make it to the top of popular search terms.
Many foreigners are curious about the food that BTS members eat and search for Korean food accordingly. In 2019, a photo of BTS member Jimin eating Tteokbokki in Dongdaemun was captured.
As soon as the photo was released, international fans showed a lot of interest in Tteokbokki.
The popularity of Tteokbokki further increased when another member, V, sold Tteokbokki on a variety show. Thanks to BTS’s influence, Tteokbokki sales increased, and Korea’s rice processed food exports surpassed $100 million for the first time.
Even the U.S. economic magazine Forbes acknowledged the influence of BTS. Forbes mentioned Korean food as one of the food trends that can grow thanks to BTS frequently featuring it in their mukbang (eating broadcast) menus.
Forbes reported that “the popularity of Korean Tteokbokki and Korean BBQ is skyrocketing” and that “Tteokbokki, which was not popular among foreigners unfamiliar with its texture, is gaining huge popularity, especially among the younger generation”. U.S. broadcasters also reported that “Korean Tteokbokki is taking over America”.
The high popularity of BTS has even changed the taste buds of foreigners. With the K-pop craze, K-food is also becoming well-known among foreigners, spreading the new Korean Wave culture.
By. Min Jae Kim
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