From traditional to street, the K-food lineup rich for APEC summit

This undated photo shows characters from Netflixs animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” that are featured on the packaging of Nongshim Shin Ramyun products displayed at a major supermarket in Seoul Yonhap — This undated photo shows characters from Netflix's animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” that are featured on the packaging of Nongshim Shin Ramyun products displayed at a major supermarket in Seoul. Yonhap

SEOUL, October 14 (AJP) - It remains unclear whether the APEC summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, will stage a face-to-face meeting between the U.S. and Chinese leaders later this month, but organizers have ensured a rich and diverse lineup of Korean food and cuisine.

Food industry leaders Nongshim, CJ Cheiljedang, and Kyochon F&B have joined household names like Samsung Electronics as official corporate sponsors of the event. They are joined by younger franchises such as Okdongsik and Young Dabang, showcasing a blend of traditional, fusion, and street-food experiences to global attendees.

Nongshim, which commands nearly 50 percent of South Korea's ramyun market, will provide 10,000 packets of “Shin Ramyun” featuring characters from Netflix's hit animated series “K-pop Demon Hunters.” The noodle maker, which saw a major brand boost from the film’s global success, will also operate a booth where APEC visitors can enjoy instant noodles just like the characters in the animation.

CJ Cheiljedang is set to feature a range of Korean staples including cupbap (rice cup), gim (seaweed) snacks, and tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes). The company’s global frozen-food brand “Bibigo,” already an official partner of the Los Angeles Lakers since 2021, will also be highlighted as part of the K-food showcase.

Restaurant chains are taking varied approaches to promote their products. Kyochon F&B, best known for its fried-chicken franchise “Kyochon Chicken,” will operate food trucks at the venue to reinforce Korea’s reputation as the world’s fried-chicken capital.

Newer brands such as Okdongsik, Young Dabang, and Buchang Bakery have been invited to offer a more diverse taste of Korean dining — spanning from traditional comfort dishes to trendy street food. Okdongsik, famed for its signature dwaeji gomtang (pork soup), was named one of New York City’s top 100 restaurants by The New York Times. Young Dabang, a snack-bar franchise serving modern variations of tteokbokki and pork cutlet, is also expanding abroad, with branches in the United States, Japan, and several Southeast Asian countries.

This undated file photo shows Edward Lee Courtesy of KyungDong Navien — This undated file photo shows Edward Lee. Courtesy of KyungDong Navien

Edward Lee, a Korean American chef known for his appearances on Netflix’s cooking competition “Culinary Class Wars,” will collaborate with chefs from Lotte Hotel to prepare the leaders’ welcome dinner on October 31.

Food featured in Korean cultural exports like “K-pop Demon Hunters” and “Squid Game” continues to fuel the global appetite for Korean culture. Yet experts caution that sustaining the K-food boom will require a long-term strategy.

“The continued growth of authentic Korean cuisine abroad will depend on effective localization, customization, and R&D,” said Seulki Lee, professor of Hotel and Tourism Management at Sejong University. “A fine balance between authenticity and versatility must be achieved to ensure Korean food retains its global appeal.”

Kim Yeon-jae, Lee Jung-woo duswogmlwo77@ajupress.com