Once an afterthought in the global food trade, South Korea’s signature spices and sauces, ranging from fiery gochujang to fermented doenjang, are now at the forefront of the K-wave’s culinary export boom.
Across the globe, a variety of seasonings and sauces are playing the country’s cultural ambassadors – just like K-pop and K-drama, but edible.
According to Korean alternative data platform KED Aicel on Monday, Korean sauce exports reached an all-time monthly high of $50.4 million in June, a 69.7% surge from a year ago. It’s the first monthly shipments that crossed the $50 million threshold.
In the first six months of the year, exports hit $217.6 million, nearly 60% of last year’s record $373.4 million, setting the stage for a third consecutive year of all-time highs in 2025.
In 2024, Korea’s sauce exports reached 373.4 million, up 4% from $359.1 million in 2023.
The uptick underscores a broader shift in the global appetite for Korean flavors, with major food producers such as CJ CheilJedang Corp. and Samyang Foods Co. positioning their sauces as global brands – on par with Japan’s Kikkoman soy sauce or Mexico’s Tabasco.
“Our fermented sauces are becoming globally recognized condiments,” said an official at CJ CheilJedang.
The Korean food giant’s gochujang products under the Bibigo brand have seen a sharp rise in popularity, especially in Japan.
FROM SIDEKICK TO STAR EXPORT ITEMS
Long overshadowed by ramen, or ramyun as the instant noodles are called in Korea, and snacks, Korean sauces are now stepping into the spotlight.
In June, Korea’s gochujang exports rose 185% from a year earlier to $12.5 million, driven largely by demand from Japan, where the ingredient featured prominently in Bibigo’s recent marketing blitz.
Japan accounts for more than two-thirds of Korea’s gochujang exports, data showed.
“Our gochujang exports have posted double-digit growth rates over the past year,” said a CheilJedang official.
Other sauce products are also gaining traction.
Samyang’s Buldak Sauce, a bottled version of the spicy flavor used in its best-selling Buldak Bokkeum Myeon, or spicy chicken-flavored ramen, has found a following of its own. According to the company, Buldak Sauce exports more than doubled in the first half from the year-earlier period.
Overall, seasoned sauces led the category, accounting for $123.2 million in exports during the first six months. Mixed seasonings followed at $31.2 million, while doenjang’s overseas shipments came in at $5.5 million.
Overseas shipments of soy sauce, tracked separately under the international classification standards, reached $10.3 million, up 8.5% from a year ago.
KOREAN DINING EXPERIENCES
Driving much of the growth is the rapid proliferation of Korean dining experiences abroad.
Restaurant chains like Dookki, a Korean franchise selling tteokbokki, or spicy red rice cakes, have helped familiarize Southeast Asian consumers with sauces that previously required insider knowledge to appreciate.
“We see steady traffic from MZ generation customers who discovered tteokbokki through K-pop videos or K-drama,” said an official at Dareun Co., the operator of Dookki.
Dareun operates 176 Dookki outlets in ten countries, mostly in Southeast Asia.
Global marketing efforts are also paying dividends.
Samyang’s Buldak Sauce campaign during April’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in the US went viral, racking up over 100 million views on YouTube.
In May, CJ’s newly launched premium brand, Seoulfully!, made its debut at the 2025 NRA Show in Chicago to enthusiastic reception from chefs and food buyers.
Meanwhile, rival brand Sempio Foods Co. drew strong interest from chefs and Korean food lovers last month, showcasing its kimchi seasoning products at a gourmet expo in Dijon, France.
“Consumers familiar with the spiciness of Buldak Bokkeum Myeon are now experimenting with the sauce on everything from tacos to fried chicken,” said Jeong Jin-soo, a trade officer at Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA).
TAILORING PRODUCTS FOR GLOBAL TASTES
As Korean sauces have become pantry staples far beyond Korea’s traditional diaspora markets, food companies are increasingly tailoring products for international tastes.
CJ CheilJedang now offers sauce products with adjustable heat levels and tube-style packaging to appeal to global consumers.
Samyang is doubling down on Buldak Sauce as a standalone brand, while Daesang Corp., which added sauces to its global product strategy in 2023, is betting on localized product development to win market share.
Global consulting firm Statista forecasts that the global sauce and seasoning market will grow at an average growth rate of 6% to 481 trillion won ($351 billion) by 2029 from 357 trillion won in 2024, driven by consumer demand for new and bold flavors.
By Tae-Ho Lee
thlee@hankyung.com
In-Soo Nam edited this article.
