Korea is a trendsetting nation in every sense of the phrase. For instance, Korea is known for its nearly unmatched food culture and it seems that a new food item is released or trending every other day.

Would you try mint-chocolate-flavored fried chicken? Are you curious about the endless varieties of croffle that seem to be available in Korea? These are some of the food trends that took precedent in Korea in recent years. As we've said, however, the food trends in Korea are always changing. As such, we've decided to look at some of the most recent ones.

In case you missed it, we've listed some of the foods that went viral in Korea in 2023 and were endorsed by some of your favorite celebrities.

 

1. Tanghuru

Tanghuru (탕후루 in Korean) is a Chinese traditional snack that has taken Korea by storm. The snack, which is made from fruits covered in a sugar coating, can be found at almost every corner of the city. Some of the fruits used to make tanghuru include grapes, cherry tomatoes, tangerines, strawberries, pineapples, kiwiㄴ, etc.

K-Celebs have been showing their love for this snack throughout the year as it has gained popularity. It has become trendy content to show yourself eating tanghuru for the first time, 새ㅐ.

For example, when Chuu tried tanghuru for the first time, she explained how she had never eaten it before because of how unhealthy it looked but ended up saying it was delicious.

Recently, model Han HyeJin also went viral for her reaction to the super sweet treat considering that she's a health fanatic. Despite not usually eating sweet things, even Han HyeJin was surprised at how much she enjoyed this treat.

Even BLACKPINK's JiSoo and Jennie are known for loving the snack and making it at home. In this video, the duo expertly speak about how important the sugar ratio of good tanghuru is. This video was taken 3 years ago, before tanghuru became extremely popular. Trust the trendsetting icons to be ahead of the trend!

 

2. Yakgwa

Yakgwa (약과 in Korean) is a Korean traditional dessert in the form of a honey cookie. It has a coated sweet exterior and a warm slightly gooey texture on the inside that tastes like honey delight.

2AM's Jo Kwon did a detailed review of the different kinds of yakgwa treats that are available at the moment. This includes the original yakgwa, financiers, cookies, pretzels, cake, and more. He truly showed how delectable the dessert is with some honest and entertaining commentary. Jo Kwon's video also highlighted how the yakgwa trend spread as the traditional dessert took on numerous modern adaptations. These days one can even find yakgwa ice cream at the convenience store!

 

3. Sogeum bbang

Sogeum bbang (소금빵 in Korean) is literally translated to 'salt bread' and is a combination of different bread styles to create a salted butter roll. It has been all the rage with different versions of the bread being sold all over Korea.

In an episode of "I Live Alone", famous golfer Park SeRi ventured to a popular bakery in the Seongsu neighborhood of Seoul in search of sogeum bbang. Unfortunately, the hot item was already sold out. This only shows how popular this pastry is.

Other K-Celebs have also shown their love for their bread, posting it on their social media feeds. For example, DAVICHI's Kang MinKyung has posted several times on her Instagram (both on her Instastories and her feed) about the bread. She even took to her Instastory, sharing a photo of sogeum bbang and asking why there are so many delicious things to eat in this world. Well, that's a question that we're all asking ourselves!

 

4. Mara tteokbokki

Last but not least, we have mara tteokbokki. If rosé tteokbokki and maratang were the food trends in Korea in 2022... 2023 is all about mara tteokbokki which combines the classic tteokbokki with mara sauce. Mara sauce gives off a spicy but slightly tangy and flavorsome taste. This tteokbokki combines the mara sauce with the usual offerings that go into a maratang such as meat, tofu ingredients like noodles, and more.

OH MY GIRL's Mimi ate mara tteokbokki on her famous mukbang channel quite recently. Despite the dish being super spicy, Mimi kept emphasizing how tasty the dish was. It's no wonder that it has become so popular, especially among fans of spicy foods.

Would you try any of the foods that we mentioned? Let us know which one you'd try out in the comments!

Ahead of the 1st "Asia Star Entertainer Awards 2024" ("ASEA"), the final voting to determine the winners has begun on IDOLCHAMP, starting from 10AM on March 15th. The glamorous event looks to become a place where music, stars, and fans become one.

【ASEA2024日本開催決定!!】
アジアを代表するトップアーティストが出演し、世界中のファンと音楽で一つになる授賞式「ASIA STAR ENTERTAINER AWARDS 2024(ASEA 2024)」、その記念すべき第1回目が2024年4月10日に日本で開催される事が決定!!!#ASEA2024 pic.twitter.com/O0T8APQVVu

— ASEA_official_jp【公式】 (@aseaofficial_jp) February 6, 2024

In the ASEA final voting categories, a large number of internationally loved K-Pop artists are nominated for the following categories: 'Best Male/Female Group Award', 'Best Male/Female Soloist Award', 'Trot', 'Virtual', 'Rookie Award', and 'Popularity Award'.

Check out the artists you can vote for down below.

 

Final Nominees

Best Male Group Award

Stray Kids

TXT

EXO

TREASURE

SEVENTEEN

 

Best Female Group Award

NiziU

VIVIZ

TWICE

OH MY GIRL

Kep1er

 

Best Male Soloist Award

Lim YoungWoong

SHINee's TaeMin

BTS' JungKook

Kang Daniel

BTS' Suga

 

Best Female Soloist Award

TWICE's JiHyo

BLACKPINK's JiSoo

MAMAMOO's HwaSa

SunMi

Red Velvet's SeulGi

 

Trot Award

YoungTak

Lee ChanWon

Jung DongWon

Kim HeeJae

Hong JiYoon

 

Virtual Award

PLAVE

SUPERKIND

MAVE

ISEGYE IDOL

RE:Revolution

 

Rookie Award

JD1's Jung DongWon

ZEROBASEONE

PLAVE

TWS

POW

 

Popularity Award

Lim YongWoong

BTS' JiMin

BTS' V

Stray Kids

Kang Daniel

EXO

SHINee's TaeMin

BTS' Suga

BTS' JungKook

NiziU

 

You can participate in the "ASEA" final voting through the mobile fandom apps, IDOLCHAMP and PODOAL. Once the final voting period ends, the results will be announced at "ASEA", which will be held at K-Arena Yokohama in Yokohama, Japan on April 10th.

"ASEA 2024" is hosted by Newsen, Korea's leading entertainment and sports media outlet which boasts 19 long years of valued tradition. They are also joined by '앳스타일' (@star1), an online entertainment media outlet that has been steadily publishing Star & Style Magazine for 12 years. The prestigious event is organized by ASEA Organizing Committee and Japan's ZOZOTOWN.

Additionally, "ASEA 2024" will have world renowned K-Pop artists and Asian singers who've accomplished several significant achievements over the past year take the stage. They will create an extraordinary experience, mesmerizing fans in the audience and watching from home.

 

Kpopmap Exclusive IDOLCHAMP Coupon Sale

For those looking to support their favorite artist via IDOLCHAMP, Kpopmap is here to help! In partnership with the mobile fandom app, Kpopmap users are able to purchase IDOLCHAMP coupons at a Kpopmap exclusive discount price!

You can head here to purchase IDOLCHAMP coupons today and help your favorite K-Pop artist win "ASEA 2024"!

Who will you be voting for?

When OH MY GIRL first debuted, they started off with a bubbly image that captivated K-Pop fans across the nation. While they've transformed over the years, they've been able to retain their sweet, loveable nature that Miracle wholeheartedly love. With their career established and presence in the K-Pop scene cemented, the WM girl group is able to explore other endeavors.

Just recently, OH MY GIRL's YooA made her comeback as a solo artist, once again mesmerizing fans with her magical charms. There's a clear distinction between YooA the OH MY GIRL member and YooA the soloist. Seeing her be able to tap into both is electrifying as she's always able to light the stage ablaze with her talents.

Now, YooA's had a long history of being a top performer, in terms of both vocals and dance. Her ability to command the spotlight is mystifying and would leave anyone speechless and in awe.

 

Solo Debut Song On it's Live

When YooA first made her solo debut, she went on to have a stunning performance on it's Live. With a live band behind her, YooA's vocals shone even brighter, proving to everyone that she's a skilled vocalist in every right. It's an entirely ethereal experience that's bound to sweep you off your feet and leave you in a state of utter awe.

 

Studio Choom Dance Cover On M2

Studio Choom has partnered with countless idols to produce striking dance covers that captivate the K-Pop industry on a worldwide scale. YooA was able to collaborate with them to create this spellbinding dance cover uploaded onto M2. The idol powerfully moved across the stage with such confidence, making it impossible not focus all your attention on her.

 

Perfect Sibling Synergy

Some netizens might not know, but there's a reason why YooA is such a great performer: it simply runs in her DNA. Together with her brother Yoo JunSun, they executed this piece at the world renowned 1MILLION dance studio. YooA showcases her ability to dominate in a genre outside of K-Pop, impressing both the music and dance community. Now, in another life YooA could have definitely made it as professional choreographer just like her brother.

 

Breathtaking Acoustic Cover

Even outside of the glitz and glamor of music stages, YooA takes every chance to show her overflowing talent. This acoustic cover of 'Just Friends' will effectively blow you away. She effortlessly rides on every strum of the guitar, creating rhythmical melodies that you'll end up thinking about all day long.

 

Amazing Duet With OH MY GIRL's SeungHee

YooA has proven that she's an incredible soloist, but starting off in girl group, she knows how to be a team player too. Together with fellow groupmate, SeungHee, the two provide this magical performance of 'A Poem Titled You'. Their vocals are captivatingly dream-like, making you feel like you're ready to float off into the blue sky above.

 

Groovy B-Side Radio Live

While YooA is known for her outstanding title tracks, her b-sides deserve appreciation too. Especially when she's able to execute them live with such effortless skill. Here on this radio live, she provides this spectacularly spellbinding performance of 'Blood Moon'. Everything from her facial expressions to small movements match the mood of the track perfectly, convincing anyone that she was just born to be on stage.

 

Appearance On "Lee MuJin Service"

Whether she's dancing on stage or simply belting out notes sitting down, there's no doubt that YooA is idol material. She doesn't just sing the tracks — she gets into the groove and has fun with it. She makes the covers completely her own, adding multiple layers that's only possible because it's YooA herself. Now, YooA's singing on "Lee MuJin Service" is something you'll want to hear, over and over again.

YooA is the complete package, presenting herself as a wonderful performer in both the vocals and dance department. Now that she's returned with her newest title track, 'Rooftop', the idol is ready to captivate the K-Pop industry once more.

Are you a fan of OH MY GIRL's YooA? Do you have a favorite performance from the idol?