#CulinaryTrends

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food2026.03.02

Tomorrow Is Samgyeopsal Day: Emart & Lotte Mart 50% Off, Nonghyup 100g for ₩1,990 — The Complete Guide to March 3rd '3·3 Day'

On March 3rd, Korea's '3·3 (Samgyeopsal) Day,' major retailers including Emart, Lotte Mart, and GS Retail are offering up to 50% off pork belly and shoulder. Nonghyup is running a special at ₩1,990 per 100g on Handong Mall, and the government is supporting up to ₩5,000 in additional discounts at certified restaurants — making it a great opportunity for a budget-friendly meat party despite high inflation.

CulinaryTrendsRetailTrendsValueConsumption

food2026.03.02

How a Convenience Store Hijacked an SNS Craze: 5 Signals GS25's Spring Cabbage Bibimbap Kit Launch Proves It's the 'Next Dubai Cookie'

A 2008 mukbang clip of Kang Ho-dong from '2 Days & 1 Night' went viral again 18 years later, propelling spring cabbage (bomdong) bibimbap to the top of SNS trends. As spring cabbage prices surged 78% and sellouts spread, GS25 stepped in with a spring cabbage bibimbap kit launching March 3rd — staking out pole position in the seasonal food trend race.

CulinaryTrendsRetailTrendsValueConsumption

food2026.03.01

One TV Scene Changed Vegetable Prices: 5 Reasons the SNS Revival of Bomdong Bibimbap Triggered a Price Surge in 2026

A single scene from a past Korean variety show featuring bomdong (winter napa cabbage) bibimbap went viral on short-form SNS, igniting a 'bomdong craze' among the MZ generation. As demand surged, bomdong prices spiked sharply in a short period, causing out-of-stock situations at supermarkets and early-morning delivery platforms.

CulinaryTrendsKoreanFoodLifestyle

food2026.02.27

"Made to Stand for an Hour, Then Screamed Out the Door": 5 Questions the Jeju Famous Gomtang Restaurant's Female Customer Discrimination Controversy Poses to Gender Equality in Korea's Food Industry

Claims spread on social media that a famous gomtang restaurant in Jeju refused female customers citing the superstition that 'having a woman as the first customer brings bad luck,' sparking widespread outrage. The owner denied the allegations as 'baseless,' but a flood of similar testimonies turned the incident into a broader public debate over discriminatory service practices in Korea's food industry.

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food2026.02.27

Chef vs. Cook: Why Culinary Class Wars Season 2 Winner Choi Kang-rok Refuses to Open a Restaurant — and 5 Signals for Korea's Fine Dining Market

Culinary Class Wars Season 2 winner Choi Kang-rok declared he 'won't open a restaurant for the time being.' We analyze the paradox of record-high expectations actually making a chef step back — and 5 questions it poses to Korea's fine dining market.

FineDiningGourmetTrends2026Trends

food2026.02.27

Fine Dining Has a Dress Code Too: Why Chef Choi Hyun-seok's 'Choidot' Notice Went Viral on SNS and 5 Truths About Korea's Gourmet Culture

Chef Choi Hyun-seok's fine dining restaurant 'Choidot', back in the spotlight after Netflix's 'Black and White Chef', posted a notice asking guests to 'refrain from revealing outfits', sparking widespread buzz online. Beyond a simple dress code reminder, this incident reveals the maturity of Korea's fine dining culture and the clash with SNS certification culture.

FineDiningSeoulEatsGourmetTrends

food2026.02.27

"Good for 5 Hours" — 4 Questions Dunkin's 1.4L Bucket Coffee Craze Poses to Korea's Large-Format Beverage Market

Dunkin' in the US has piloted an approximately 1.4L (48 oz) 'bucket coffee' at select stores, triggering sell-outs and a flood of nationwide launch requests. This analysis examines the potential impact of this global large-format trend on Korea — one of the world's top per-capita coffee consuming nations.

GourmetTrends2026TrendsCulinaryTrends

food2026.02.26

What ₩1,500 Bread Really Means: Why Paris Baguette and Tous les Jours' Price Cut Became the First Victory in 'Lee Jae-myung's War on Inflation'

Paris Baguette and Tous les Jours announced on the 26th that they will cut prices on bread and cakes starting March 13. As the first case in the bakery industry following a flour price-fixing investigation, it is seen as the opening shot of President Lee Jae-myung's inflation stabilization mandate becoming reality.

CulinaryTrendsRetailTrendsValueConsumption

food2026.02.26

How 'Iced Coffee Til Death' Rewrote Starbucks's Map: What the World-First Korea Launch of 'Aerocano' Proves

Starbucks Korea launched the 'Aerocano' — a reinterpretation of iced Americano using aeration technology — as a global first on February 26. We analyze how the 'Eoljukah' (iced-coffee-even-in-freezing-weather) culture turned Korea into a global test bed for new menu launches, and its broader implications.

CulinaryTrendsRetailTrendsBrandStrategy

food2026.02.26

17 Days of Frenzy, 92% Collapse: Why Big Brands Are Flooding the Market with New Products Now That Dubai Jeondeuk Cookie Is Dead

Dubai Jeondeuk Cookie (Duajeonku) saw its search volume halved just 17 days after going viral in January 2026, and dropped 92% from its peak by February. Small business owners are groaning under inventory burdens, yet paradoxically, large corporations like A Twosome Place are launching pistachio and kadayif products one after another, establishing 'Dubai flavor' as a sustainable dessert category.

DessertTrendsCulinaryTrendsValueConsumption

dining2026.02.19

Deep Dive into the 5 New Selections of Michelin Guide Seoul 2026: The New Peak of Seoul's Gastronomy

An in-depth look at the five new restaurants selected for the Michelin Guide Seoul 2026. From Vvert to Inno, explore the latest trends and culinary philosophies redefining Seoul's dining scene through Editor Seji's expert lens.

MichelinGuide2026SeoulDiningEsquireKorea

food2026.02.13

Is Seoul’s Gastronomic Map Changing? An In-depth Analysis of the ‘2024 Taste of Seoul 100’ and the Gangnam Concentration Phenomenon 🍴

The 2024 Taste of Seoul 100 list reveals that 45% of the city's top restaurants are concentrated in the Gangnam area. This post analyzes the reasons behind this phenomenon, explores emerging culinary hotspots like Seongsu and Hannam, and dives deep into this year's gourmet trends in Seoul.

SeoulRestaurantsTasteOfSeoul2024GangnamDining