Korean Seasonings Make a Comeback: From MSG Roots to Umami Cocktails
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
Seasonings once stigmatized for MSG are being reevaluated as cooking helpers that design depth of flavor. Korean brands like Miwon (fermented MSG-based seasoning) and CJ’s Dashida (a blended beef-flavor stock) transformed the market since the 1950s–70s. After safety controversies in the 1990s, scientific reassessments and marketing shifted products toward natural-ingredient and liquid forms in the 2010s. New formats—especially single-use “coin” stock cubes—have surged as home cooking rose after COVID-19, appealing to one-person households and younger consumers. Globally, umami demand is growing, with dashi and umami-flavored drinks, desserts and even cocktails appearing abroad; Korean firms are expanding exports to Asia, North America and Oceania. Experts say younger generations view seasonings pragmatically, choosing and enjoying them by taste rather than fearing past MSG concerns.
