Eating Shin Ramyun, Drinking Soju: K-Lifestyle Sweeps American Daily Life

On May 18, at the outdoor plaza in front of the Space Needle in Seattle, Washington, the "Korean Cultural Festival" organized by the Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles featured K-pop and traditional Korean music performances, a hanbok fashion show, and K-beauty experiences. In the event's "Beer Garden," HiteJinro—the only Korean liquor company to participate—showcased its flagship products such as Chamisul Fresh and Cheongpodo Esul. Amy, whom this reporter met at the venue, said, "Korean food, alcohol, and Korean-style makeup are hugely popular among young Americans these days." She added, "K has literally become a 'hot' lifestyle."

A culture in which American MZ-generation consumers—who grew up enjoying K-pop and K-dramas—naturally consume and enjoy Korean food and cosmetics in their daily lives is spreading. K-content, once considered the preserve of ethnic minorities or a small group of enthusiasts in the U.S., is now taking over the tables and vanities of mainstream American society, building a "K-lifestyle" ecosystem. The influence of K-food, in particular, is expanding through local distribution networks. At Trader Joe's, a premium grocery chain favored by middle-class American consumers, Korean traditional ingredients such as gochujang often sell out as soon as they hit the shelves, and gimbap sells well in the frozen food section. At Costco, a large warehouse-style discount store, Nongshim's Shin Ramyun and udon have become part of Americans' daily diet, occupying a corner of the main food aisle.

Korean restaurants are also enjoying immense popularity. Soban, an authentic Korean restaurant that gained word-of-mouth fame as the venue where director Bong Joon-ho and actors held a celebration party after the Academy Awards, is now so busy that securing a table is impossible without an advance reservation. Haejangchon, a famous Korean barbecue (BBQ) restaurant, is packed from lunchtime with locals grilling pork belly on the grill and wrapping it in lettuce and perilla leaves. Soju is always on their tables, and it is not hard to find people making and enjoying soju bombs. Hwang, a Korean-American resident of LA, said, "The number of white neighbors buying Bukchangdong Sundubu meal kits at the mart and cooking them at home has increased sharply." He added, "These days, there are even locals who make their own kimchi after watching YouTube."

The momentum of K-beauty is equally fierce. Upon entering Sephora, a famous local beauty retailer, Korean skincare brand products such as Dr.Groot and AESTURA catch the eye in the most prominent spots. The separately arranged "Korean Skincare (K-Beauty)" corner in the store is crowded with locals keenly interested in skincare. Buoyed by this atmosphere, a Korean beauty platform has set foot directly on American soil. In front of Olive Young's first U.S. store, the "Pasadena location" recently opened in California, the response has been so hot that lines of hundreds of meters form daily for opening runs. Although simultaneous entry was limited to around 200 people to prevent congestion, the queue continued until closing time. Customers, mostly in their teens and twenties, applied products directly, checked color payoff on the backs of their hands, and took photos, showering praise such as "It's like being at Disneyland" and "The king of K-beauty has arrived." As the local response was so hot, U.S. broadcasters including CNN and CBS spotlighted the "Olive Young opening run" phenomenon.

The expansion of K-culture is still ongoing. Michael said, "Enjoying Korean dramas and music and consuming Korean products is now perceived among Americans as a sophisticated lifestyle." Selena praised it, saying, "K-culture is like an 'unending spring,' where enjoyable content—not just music and fashion, but also dramas, webtoons, cosmetics, traditional arts, and food—pours out endlessly."