‘K-Wave’ powers £3.5 billion boost to UK economy as Korean culture captivates the nation, Just Eat research reveals

• Ahead of Squid Game’s return to Netflix on Boxing Day, Just Eat research reveals nearly half (47%) of Brits are regularly buying Korean inspired food, products and services
• Restaurants and retailers are capitalising on the ‘K-Wave’ through rapid delivery - orders of the East Asian food on Just Eat have grown 23% year on year, whilst the number of Korean restaurants partnered with the delivery network has also increased 76% since 2024
• The trend is backed by Just Eat’s Food Trends Report, which found 49% of consumers admit to eating what they see online, as trend-driven food sales soar

Monday, 16 December, London – Ahead of the return of the iconic TV show Squid Game to Netflix, new research from Just Eat, the UK’s leading on demand delivery network, reveals the nation is riding a ‘K-Wave’ boom for Korean food and products worth a staggering £3.5 billion.

Of this spending, beauty and fashion accounts for 42%, with food accounting for the remaining 58%, according to consultancy Development Economics.

Korean culture reaches every corner of the UK

The spending boom comes as powerhouses like the zombie-fuelled teen series, All of Us Are Dead, and K-Pop bands, such as BTS and Blackpink, capture the cultural zeitgeist in the UK. According to Just Eat’s survey of 2,000 people by OnePoll, nearly half of Brits (47%) are seeking Korean goods, with one in five saying they now eat East Asian food at least once a month. Consumers say they’ve been influenced by:

1. Entertainment icons:  53% have been motivated by Korean music and TV 
2. Social media trends: 35% are inspired by trending food and beauty products
3. Health benefits: 30% are drawn to the cuisine’s wellness appeal

Upcoming pop culture moments are expected to further fuel the ‘K-Wave’, from the return of Squid Game to Netflix on Boxing Day - the first series of which was watched by over 142 million households - to the forthcoming solo album from former Blackpink star, Lisa.

Food fuels the ‘K-Wave’

For much of the UK, the ‘K-Wave’ also represents an untapped market, with 47% expressing a desire for more Korean food options in their local area and 46% interested in learning more about the culture.

There’s even a burgeoning market with the Boomer generation, with one in five of those aged 65 years and above having spent money on East Asian inspired food and ingredients.

London leads regional interest, with residents spending an estimated £1.18 billion on Korean products annually—nearly 34% of the national total. Northern Ireland and Scotland follow closely behind the capital, reflecting a UK-wide trend of spending power for exports from the peninsular region.

For restaurants and other food outlets, there’s plenty of room to innovate. Korean staples like kimchi and fried chicken, recognised by 41% and 32% of Brits respectively, are already well-established, but other traditional dishes – such as bibimbap (14%), bulgogi (10%), and japchae (8%), remain virtually unknown.

Driving growth for UK businesses

Just Eat believes small restaurants and retailers can tap into trends like the K-wave by creating culturally relevant dishes, and promoting them on social media platforms, which over time could make Korean cuisine as mainstream and accessible as Chinese or Italian food.

Many of Just Eat’s 88,000 partners nationwide are already rising to the challenge. With almost 500 orders placed every minute last year across the UK and Ireland on Just Eat, many independent high street businesses are helping customers discover a love for East Asian food and products.

Kokodoo, a Korean Fried Chicken chain, says the popularity of the culture has helped business to boom, opening new branches despite the challenging economic environment.

One franchise owner, Nuruallah Nasim, said: "We’ve seen a 300% increase in sales at Kokadoo Camberwell since opening, and this buzz around Korean culture has definitely helped to fuel our growth.”

Longdan, a chain of Asian supermarkets, has also seen a huge rise in appetite for Korean ingredients. Pema Penjor, Marketing Lead at Longdan, said: “From trending TikTok favourites like the Samyang Carbonara noodles, to staple items like kimchi and tteobokki, demand for Korean products has tripled in the last year. 

“Whether it’s viral hits like APT by Rose and Bruno Mars, or K-idol groups like New Jeans and Stray Kids, everything Korean is in demand.”

Leigh Phillipson, UK Sales Director, Just Eat, said: “Cultural trends increasingly influence everything from what we eat to how we take care of ourselves, and the K-wave is testament to this – orders of Korean food on Just Eat have grown 23% in the last year alone. 

“With rapid delivery becoming part of our daily lives, it's easier than ever to bring a diverse range of quality food from your screen to your door, all in a matter of minutes – and we’re proud to work with high street businesses to help our millions of consumers discover food they love.”

ENDS

About the research

The research is based on polling of adults in the UK undertaken by OnePoll in November 2024. The OnePoll survey covered 2,000 adults residing across all 12 UK regions.

Development Economics methodology 

The approach taken in the research undertaken by Development Economics into the value of expenditure on Korean food and other products within the UK was to combine the results of (1) a bespoke consumer survey with (2) current demographic data for the UK adult population generated by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).