CreatripTeam

Credit-card data from 2018 to July 2025 show foreign tourists in Korea increasingly favor everyday Korean foods like noodles and dumplings over classic dishes such as bulgogi and kimchi. Noodles and dumplings recorded the highest year-on-year growth (55.2%), followed by gamjatang (pork-bone potato stew) at 44.0%. Sales of tteok (rice cakes) and hangwa (traditional sweets) jumped 76.9%, boosted by viral SNS trends like “honey-tteok cereal.” Fast-growing categories by CAGR include ice cream (35.0%), convenience store meals (34.0%), and waffles/croiffles (25.5%). High payment volumes were seen at cafes, bakeries, and burger shops, with many popular burger brands being local franchises or global chains offering Korea-only menu items and limited collaborations—so-called “Korean-style variations”—that attract tourists seeking new experiences.