[자막뉴스] 미국 장악한 '떡볶이'...웨이팅까지 역대급 인기 실화? / YTN

This tteokbokki restaurant opened in New York City last December. It's a buffet-style restaurant where you can choose your own tteok, fried food, and fish cakes, all cooked to your liking with your favorite sauce. Most of the customers are locals. It's incredibly popular among young Americans, with long lines forming in front of the restaurant every evening. [Kelly Cordistis / New York, USA: I love tteokbokki. It's not too spicy. I like that you can customize it to your taste, so that everyone can enjoy tteokbokki.] [Park Sang-jin / Tteokbokki Restaurant Owner: While making money is important, I think it's even more meaningful to cultivate tteokbokki as a new culture and food culture for Koreans.] Recently, an American media outlet highlighted the K-food craze in the US, stating, "Tteokbokki is taking over America." This popularity of Korean food is closely linked to the spread of Korean pop culture. BTS member Jimin was spotted eating tteokbokki at Dongdaemun Market in Seoul, fueling its popularity among American fans. Indeed, sales of tteokbokki meal kits have surged significantly in large supermarkets and online shopping malls in the US. Past Korean cuisine, once focused on bibimbap and bulgogi, is now expanding to encompass a wider range of food items, including tteokbokki, kimchi, and chicken. A Korean chicken restaurant that opened in an area with a small Korean population earlier this year boasts 95% of its customers as locals. The most popular dish is the "sweet and salty" "soy sauce garlic chicken," a harmonious blend of sweet and salty flavors. With the growing interest in the Korean Wave and the growing popularity of Korean food, Koreans in the US are hopeful that this will contribute to reducing anti-Asian hate crimes. Looking at the recent Korean food craze in the United States, it seems Americans, exposed to K-content, initially approached Korean food out of curiosity, but then captivated by its exotic flavors, leading to its steady popularity. As the Korean Wave, which began with the popularity of Korean culture, expands its reach to include K-food, a more systematic approach and consideration are needed to globalize Korean food. This is Jo In-young from YTN World in Philadelphia, USA. ※ 'Your tip becomes news' [KakaoTalk] Search YTN and add the channel [Phone] 02-398-8585 [Email] [email protected]