Won So
Research lead covering South Korea
Rice market in South Korea - statistics & facts
Rice is one of the central dishes in Korean cuisine, as many dishes are served with a bowl of plain rice to enjoy. It is no surprise that rice has the highest share of food grain consumption by South Koreans. Nonetheless, rice consumption has seen a downward trend over the past decade. This heavily lies in the shift in eating habits of Koreans and an increasing number of single households. One-person households tend to consume precooked instant rice rather than cooking it for themselves. Contrary to plain rice, processed rice products such as instant rice or rice cakes have gained more popularity due to their ease of use.
The story of rice in South Korea
Rice has been considered the most precious food since ancient times. Only the ruling class could eat rice every day, while the majority of people could eat rice only on special days such as holidays and ancestral rites. It was also used as means of taxation or currency. In South Korea, rice cultivation is particularly active in the Jeonnam, Chungnam, and Jeonbuk provinces due to favorable conditions such as climate, topography, and convenience of water sources. Most of the domestically harvested rice is exported to the U.S., Australia, and Singapore, and is mainly consumed by Koreans living overseas. During the COVID-19 pandemic, rice exports increased as more people preferred making rice by themselves and eating it at home.Rice products and their popularity
Rice products are emerging as a major HMR (Home Meal Replacement) item because they are convenient to store and eat. There are a variety of different products, but among them, instant rice and rice cakes are the most popular ones. Instant rice is a ready-to-eat portion of precooked rice. It can be quickly heated in a microwave and still taste good, so it is an alternative to regular cooked rice. The first instant rice brand is Hetbahn by CJ Cheilchedang which is still leading the market in the country. Together with the growing popularity of Korean media content, there is a high demand for rice products overseas. The exports of both instant rice and rice cakes show their soaring popularity outside the domestic market. The leading destinations for such items were the U.S., Japan, and Vietnam.
