The craze of Korean food is not over yet. And this is not just a metro city crush
Emerging markets such as Surat, Thiruvananthapuram, Vadodara, Mysuru and Mangaluru have seen 59 percent jump in Korean meal orders in the last one year.
Most trends and viral sensations have a shelf life; Quickly or later, they fade in the background, this is a trip to destination, foods, or even crazy for artists. However, we cannot say the same about the love of Indians for Korean everything.
The craze can be detected in the global phenomenon of PSY’s “Gangnam Style” in 2012 (broadly), which paved the way for many other Korean bands – BTS, Blackpink, Axo and seventeen. And comfort, as they say, is history.
And when it comes to Korean food, the craze is very high. We were first introduced through the K-dramas and veerviuts shows, the characters of the ramen were seen sharing sloping bowls, bubling hotpots, or grill meat on the table. That on-screen indulgence provoked our curiosity, and soon, immediate Ramon packets and Ready-to-Eat Tetocobki found their way to our kitchen. Now, Korean restaurants, once a niche search, are common and packed with dinner which are eager to try everything from Bimimbap to Kimchi Fried Rice.
It exceeds a trend, an event that continues. Isn’t this belief? WellThe latest data of Swiggi shows that Korean food orders have shot 50 percent year-on-year. (July 2025 vs July 2024) across the country. And while big cities like Bangalore, Mumbai and Hyderabad still lead the road, these are non-Metro cities that are turning heads.
Like emerging markets Surat, Thiruvananthapuram, Vadodara, Mysuru, and Mangaluru have seen 59 percent jump in Korean food orders. in the past year.
true to form, General Z is at the forefront of this culinary trendResponsible for 27 percent of all Korean food orders on the app. Korean Ban, Korean Paneer Bun, Korean Ramon and Korean Chicken are among the most popular keywords.
The survey also suggests that the Korean McAlal Tikki Burger has surprisingly emerged as the most ordered items, and other favorite includes Korean corn and Jalpino garlic bread, Korean Tangi Chicken Roll and Korean spicy chicken burgers.
Korean-inspired drinks are also making waves. Tangy-Sweet Korean Yuzu-Pop Spright is one of the beverages riding this trend.
Therefore, you see, the rise of Korean cuisine in India is an indication of how Indian consumers are becoming to experiment with international tastes. Restaurants and brands are focusing, and many are local tastes familiar, locally in snackable formats that appeal to wide audiences.