Food trends in Korea tend to reach Korean communities in Europe — and the wider K-food scene — a year or two later. Here are six that are hot in Seoul right now.

📈 How much buzz each one has

🔍 One by one

1. The dessert “texture war” 🍫

As with the crunch of kadayif, texture itself has become the content. Korean-style crunchy dessert cafés are opening in Europe too.

2. Custom frozen yoghurt 🍦

Half the fun is stacking your own combination of toppings — at home, spooning konjac jelly or fruit jelly over ice cream gets you close.

3. Highballs at home 🥃

Whisky and soda has taken over from soju. The snacks stayed Korean, though — dried snacks and crisps and biscuits are still the best match.

4. Zero-sugar drinks 🥤

Same taste, no sugar — the zero line is growing quickly in our drinks aisle as well.

5. Frozen gimbap 🍙

A trend that came back to Korea from abroad. Five minutes in an air fryer and it holds its own against freshly rolled gimbap.

6. The buldak universe 🔥

Carbo, rosé, mayo — the spin-offs are catching up with the original. New arrivals appear in the ramen aisle.