Approximately six out of ten global consumers visited at least one Korean restaurant in a foreign country over the past year, with an average frequency of 1.7 visits per month, according to a survey released Tuesday by the Korean Food Promotion Institute.
The annual survey, conducted from August to October 2023, involved 9,000 respondents aged 20 to 59 from 18 cities worldwide, including New York, Paris, London, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Bangkok. The results revealed that 64.6 percent of participants had visited a Korean restaurant.
In Oceania, Latin America, and the Middle East, the average percentage of non-Korean visitors to Korean restaurants was 52.3 percent, marking a 2.1 percent increase from the previous year. Southeast Asia topped the chart with 84.6 percent of respondents visiting Korean restaurants, followed by Northeast Asia at 74.7 percent, North America at 58.6 percent, and Europe at 46.9 percent, all of which experienced slight declines.
Regarding the frequency of visits, Southeast Asia led with an average of 2.2 visits per month, followed by Northeast Asia at 1.7 times and Oceania, Latin America, and the Middle East at 1.5 times each. North Americans averaged 1.4 visits per month, while Europeans averaged 1.2 visits per month.
The survey also noted a shift in the purpose of visiting Korean restaurants. The proportion of non-Koreans visiting for “routine meals” increased to 49 percent in 2023, up 2.8 percentage points from 46.2 percent in 2022.
Satisfaction with Korean restaurants remained high, with 90.4 percent of respondents expressing satisfaction, a 0.5 percentage point increase from the previous year. Additionally, 83 percent said they would recommend Korean restaurants to others.
The willingness to return to Korean restaurants stood at 86.7 percent, with Southeast Asia leading at 91.9 percent, followed by Northeast Asia at 85.9 percent, Europe at 84.6 percent, Oceania and Latin America and the Middle East at 84.4 percent, and North America at 84.3 percent.
The increasing global popularity of Korean cuisine highlights its growing influence and the positive reception it continues to receive from international diners.