GYEONGJU, North Gyeongsang — As Netflix’s animated series “KPop Demon Hunters” gains global popularity, interest in Korean food is also heating up. Festivals celebrating gimbap (seaweed rice rolls) and tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) across the country are drawing more foreign visitors than in previous years, reflecting the growing global status of Korean cuisine.
During the 2025 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting week in Gyeongju, which runs from Monday through Saturday, North Gyeongsang is operating a booth promoting Korean food inside the APEC Economic Exhibition Hall at Gyeongju Expo Grand Park. The pavilion aims to promote local agricultural products and expand the province’s export base in global food markets.
With a theme highlighting how Korean food connects the past and the present, the exhibition is divided into four sections featuring traditional liquor, export-ready agricultural foods, fresh produce and processed food products. The traditional liquor section highlights the sophistication of North Gyeongsang’s brewing culture, with displays of distilled spirits, rice wines and fruit wines, including the famous Andong soju. Visitors can also participate in tasting sessions and pairing demonstrations.
The export agri-food section showcases K-food products leading the global Hallyu, or Korean Wave, such as frozen gimbap, ramyeon (instant noodles) and tteokbokki. The fresh produce section presents premium fruits like grapes, apples and Korean melons, shipped directly from farms across the province. The processed food section features rice-based snacks, traditional sauces and ginseng products that demonstrate North Gyeongsang’s culinary innovation and food technology.
Visitors can enjoy food and beverage tastings on-site, supported by Korean and English information panels and promotional videos explaining each product’s unique features and brand story. To emphasize cultural heritage, the province has invited holders of intangible cultural heritage titles and certified food masters to host demonstrations of traditional cuisine and culinary techniques.
North Gyeongsang will also operate another K-food promotion booth during the 2025 Cross Culture Festival at the Gyeongju Arts Center from Wednesday to Friday. The exhibit will target participants of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, including CEOs and senior officials from 21 member economies, with food tastings, beverage pairings and export consultations.
The event, focusing on traditional drinks and liquor, will feature tasting sessions twice a day at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Staff dressed in suragan, or royal kitchen attire, will offer tasting services designed to reflect the elegance of Korea’s traditional dining culture.
The tasting program will include street food menus, featuring tteokbokki, ramyeon and sikhye (sweet Korean rice drink); traditional menus including japchae (stir-fried glass noodles), seasoned vegetables, bugak (deep-fried vegetables), herbal tea, makgeolli (Korean rice wine) and fruit-based soju; and the global faves: gimbap, kimchi and omija (magnolia berries) tea.
To increase engagement, visitors will be able to take part in K-food preference surveys and interviews, creating an interactive experience while promoting the appeal of local food.
During the event, Gyeongbuk Corporation will hold on-site export consultations with international buyers to strengthen trade cooperation among APEC member economies and raise the global profile of the province’s agricultural products.
North Gyeongsang Governor Lee Cheol-woo said the summit will serve as an opportunity to boost the province’s agricultural exports and promote Korean food worldwide.
“The APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting will serve as a milestone for North Gyeongsang’s agricultural and food industries to advance onto the global stage,” Lee said. “We will continue to increase the added value of regional farming and establish North Gyeongsang as a leading hub of K-food in the world.”
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM JUNG-SEOK [[email protected]]
