Korean Culture Once Again Captivated People Around the World.

The incredible success of Netflix movie “K-pop Demon Hunters” has once again realized the Korean culture that has already captivated people around the world. The animated film sparked a global K-content sensation upon its release, captivating audiences in over 60 countries.
Blending the dazzling visuals of K-pop with shamanism and traditional Korean folktales, the film has opened a new window into the rich depths of Korean culture.
With this movie, traditional Korean folklore and mythology was introduced in the world, including shamanism, demons and spirits, symbolic animals and historical items. The demon-hunting trio, Huntrix, is positioned as the latest in a long line of female protectors. This lineage draws inspiration from shaman women (mudang) in Korean culture who traditionally used singing, dancing, and rituals to ward off evil spirits and protect their communities. Their singing voices are the source of their power, creating a magical barrier called the Honmoon.
Each Huntrix member wields a weapon inspired by traditional Korean objects: Rumi’s blade references a “saingeom” (four tiger evil-slaying sword), Mira uses the “gokdo” (curved moon sword) and Zoey’s twin blades are based on “sinkal,” a spiritual weapon used by shamans.
Director Maggie Kang explained that when developing the history of the demon hunters they decided to play into “the shaman women from Korean culture” as historically these women would “sing and dance to protect their village and their communities”.
The antagonist boy band, the Saja Boys, is named after the Jeoseung Saja (Korean Grim Reaper), which in folklore is a messenger from the underworld who guides souls to the afterlife. In the film, they are a demonic version that steals souls. They are seen wearing black hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) and gat (traditional Korean male hats), reminiscent of the Jeoseung Saja’s iconic look. The girls’ weapons and accessories incorporate traditional Korean motifs, such as Rumi’s sword being based on the Saingeom, a sword believed to ward off evil spirits, and they also used norigae (a traditional Korean ornament worn on the hanbok).
The film features a tiger and a magpie as supporting characters/messengers. This is a direct nod to Jakhodo (Magpie and Tiger), a popular style of Korean folk painting, where the tiger often represents a guardian against evil and the magpie symbolizes good news or the common people.
The film includes authentic scenes of Korean dining and food culture, such as the characters eating gimbap, ramen, and gukbap (soup with rice), with attention to details like accurately showing banchan (side dishes) and proper chopstick and spoon placement.
Korean terms like hoobae (junior) are used naturally in the dialogue, reinforcing the authentic cultural environment.
The movie’s creator Maggie Kang, who are of Korean descent, conceived the film as a “love letter to K-pop” and their “Korean roots,” aiming to present an authentic and un-watered-down Korean cultural experience to a global audience.
The movie has increased interest and curiosity about Korea, by using food, language and real world setting of Seoul.
The film features iconic Seoul landmarks such as N Seoul Tower on Mount Nam, Bukchon Hanok Village, Naksan Park and sweeping cityscapes, immersing viewers in the heart of Korea. Celine Dahyeu Kim, the film’s art director, reflected on her approach to the film’s concept and her vision of Seoul.
Scenes showing beloved Korean dishes like gimbap (seaweed rice rolls), ramyeon (instant noodles) and gukbap (rice in soup) invite international audiences to appreciate the flavors of everyday Korean life. One especially detailed moment shows the Huntrix members eating gukbap with their chopsticks neatly placed on a napkin — a familiar habit among Koreans at restaurants.
Even in the English dub, Korean phrases such as “gaja,” meaning “let’s go,” are used, as well as in the lyrics of Huntrix and Saja Boys’ songs.

In addition to success of K-pop Demon Hunters, Korea’s global presence is growing day by day.
In 2024, Korea’s food exports (K-Food Plus) reached a record-high $13.03 billion, a 6.1% increase from the previous year. The growth was driven by popular items like ramen and processed rice products, with significant gains in export value for instant noodles (nearly $600 million in the first half of the year) and pre-cooked rice and kimbap (a 45.7% increase). The U.S., ASEAN, and Europe were key markets showing robust growth.
The cumulative value of exports of Korean agri-food products for the year 2024 reached $9.98 billion, up by 9% from a year earlier. This growth rate is almost three times as high as those of the past three years, thus showing nine consecutive years of growth since 2015.
The exports of processed food products—such as ramyeon and processed ricebased products—reached an all-time high in 2024, which made a leading contribution to driving the entire exports of agri-food products upwards. Among non-processed food products, kimchi recorded an all-time high of $160 million in exports.
Exports of Agri-food Products in 2024, Ramyeon exports $1.2485 billion, up by 31.1% from a year earlier, Biscuits and confectionery $770.4 million, up by 17.4% from a year earlier, Beverages $662.7 million, up by 15.8% from a year earlier, Sauces: $394 million, up by 4.1% from a year earlier, Processed coffee-based products and coffee additives: $335 million, up by 2.7% from a year earlier, Ginseng products $324.5 million, down by 2% from a year earlier, Processed rice-based products: $299.2 million, up by 38.4% from a year earlier, Kimchi: $163.6 million, up by 5.2% from a year earlier.
Ramyeon, the leading export food product, surpassed $952 million in exports in 10 months in 2024, an export value of 2023. Until the end of 2024, the exports continued to go up to reach $1.25 billion, up by 31.1% from a year earlier. Korean ramyeon frequently appeared on K-content such as dramas, movies – especially in “K-pop Demon Hunters” – etc, and a challenge of eating Korean ramyeon has become a global trend around the world. This has driven the growth of exports in all the regions overall.
Notably, in the U.S., entry of agri-food products into a large-scale retail store in Texas has made an important contribution to driving up the exports by more than 70%.
Export Growth Rates of Ramyeon by Countries in 2024 are, China: $260.5 million, up by 20.9% from a year earlier, U.S.: $215.6 million, up by 70.3% from a year earlier, to the Netherlands: $91.1 million, up by 50.1% from a year earlier.
Processed rice-based products, which showed the highest growth rate among the top export items, stood at $299 million in exports, up by 38.4% from a year earlier. The exports of such food products were up by 51% on a year-over-year basis in the U.S. This is attributable to the food trend that a growing number of consumers are having a strong preference for gluten-free healthy-eating options and are embracing convenience over cooking.
By country, Exports to the U.S. $173.2 million, up by 51% from a year earlier, Vietnam: $16.2 million, up by 10.7% from a year earlier, Japan: $11.7 million, down by 6.9% from a year earlier.
Exports of kimchi reached $163.6 million in 2024, up by 5.2% from $155.6 million of 2023, and surpassed a record high of $159.9 million of 2021 in three years. This increase was driven by vegan kimchi as well as kimchi that can be stored and distributed at room temperature being supplied to more large-scale retail stores in new markets such the U.S. and the Netherlands.
Unlike the Chinese market going through a slowdown in consumption, and the Japanese market where consumers were reluctant to spend money amid a weak Japanese yen, exports to the U.S. market grew significantly by a way more than double digits.
Ramen, processed rice, and kimchi are some of the most prominent items that saw surges in exports to the U.S. market. In the Jan-Apr Period of 2024, ramen exports to the United States hit $64 million, up 83% from the same period of 2023. This was more than double the growth rate of all ramen exports (34%).
The Financial Times (FT) reported that Nongshim is speeding up its entry into foreign markets in line with rising sales of ramen on the back of the popularity of Korean culture in the U.S. and other countries. The FT said that with the rise of K-pop, Korean movies, and dramas, Westerners’ interest in Korean food has also increased, citing “Chapaguri” in the movie Parasite as a example. It also explained that during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a boom in ramen worldwide, looking for fast, delicious, and price-competitive food at home. “In the past, ramen was eaten by Asian people mostly, but young people try spicy food, Americans and Hispanics become main consumers,” a Nongshim official said.
A manager of Walmart in the U.S. reported that the new ramen market has shifted from niche market to mainstream foods. The global ramen market has grown to $50 billion and Korea’s ramen exports reached an all-time high of $1 billion last year. In particular, Shin-ramen reached a sales record $800 million last year, 60% of which came from overseas. Nongshim’s largest overseas market is the U.S., and Nongshim plans become the No. 1 ramen market by tripling its annual U.S. sales to $1.5 billion by 2030.
According to Euromonitor International, Nongshim’s market share in the U.S. ramen market is 25.4%, second to Japan which accounts for almost half of the market. Nongshim is adding a production line to its second plant in Los Angeles with expectations that U.S. sales will jump significantly this year, and it is also considering building its third plant in the U.S. and a domestic export-only plant.
In addition, Nongshim plans to set up a local sales corporation next year as its sales rose by more than 30% in the first quarter due to Shin-ramen’s popularity in the U.K. and Germany. Processed rice products such as kimbap and tteokbokki exported to the U.S. ascended by 58% to $49 million. Kimchi exports grew 28% to $16 million.★

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