"One well-made OTT cooking show can revive tourism and brand a nation"
"A K-version of Panda Express still hasn't emerged. For Korean cuisine to move beyond a passing fad and become a sustainable culinary culture, it's crucial that it become part of everyday meals worldwide—not just confined to fine-dining restaurants."
As the globalization of Korean cuisine accelerates on the back of the K-culture boom, an expert has advised that building a sustainable value chain is essential for Korean food to establish itself as a "gastronomy economy" that drives national competitiveness and regional growth.
Choi Jung-yoon, chair of the Nanro Institute, made the remarks on the 28th at "PIXEL & PAINT," a special session of "Seoul Forum 2026" held at the Shilla Hotel's Yeong Bin Gwan in Jung-gu, Seoul, saying, "The Korean food industry, now at its golden moment, needs a more powerful formula for survival." A chef and Korean food researcher with over 30 years of experience, Choi currently leads the nonprofit Nanro Institute while serving as research director at Sempio's Woorimat Research Center.
Analyzing the success stories of culinary nations such as France, Spain, Denmark, and Peru, Choi explained that "the key was turning gastronomy into an industry and linking it to national branding."
She added that the difference between success and failure lies in actively storytelling food culture through strategies such as "producing star chefs" and "global OTT content."
Spain, for example, succeeded in establishing itself as a culinary nation through aggressive branding policies—led by famed chef Ferran Adrià—that positioned "Spanish chefs as the most creative and innovative in the world," while also hosting international gastronomy events and festivals such as "Madrid Fusión."
Peru is the most recent country to emerge as a culinary powerhouse. "When a Netflix food documentary introduced Inca civilization and Peruvian food culture, the world began paying attention to Peruvian cuisine," Choi said, advising that Korea should likewise pursue both content research and the cultivation of future talent.
Choi went on to say that as global lifestyle changes have ushered in a new era for food culture, Korea must consider linking K-food with entertainment and other cross-industry sectors to expand the business. "Korean cuisine, which embodies the values of balance and harmony, has tremendous growth potential," she said. "I hope it connects with even more diverse cultures and industries."
In response, Ma noted, "Today, the global content market is led not by specific industries like Hollywood but by over-the-top (OTT) streaming services. Since content is released worldwide simultaneously upon production, how Korean stories should adapt to this new technology-based market is a new topic worth discussing."
The Secret Behind "KPop Demon Hunters"… "Storytelling That Is Both Quintessentially Korean and Universal"
In the subsequent discussion between Michelle Sugihara, executive director, and Korea University media studies professor Ma Dong-hoon, "storytelling" capability was likewise cited as the core strength of K-culture.
Sugihara leads CAPE, the largest nonprofit organization supporting Asian entertainment activities in Hollywood. CAPE has helped raise the profile of works including "KPop Demon Hunters," "Parasite," and "Minari."
Visiting Korea for the first time, she analyzed that "the success of K-content stems from its ability to tell stories that are at once quintessentially Korean and universally resonant, with depth." She explained, "'KPop Demon Hunters,' rooted in shamanism, simultaneously addresses values such as friendship, courage, and the battle between good and evil, while 'Squid Game' uses traditional Korean games to depict the ills of a hypercompetitive society."
Ma agreed, saying, "'KPop Demon Hunters' resonated by addressing universal values that exist in every culture in different forms, while presenting a new narrative of Asian womanhood through its protagonist 'Rumi.'"
Sugihara further forecast, "Korea's formidable soft power is gaining greater momentum as it spreads through media. Since modern people are immersed in a flood of media from the moment they wake until they sleep, the influence of K-storytelling will only grow."
