Korean food ”Tteok” exports hit record high amid Korean wave

It has been reported that South Korea's export value of rice cakes hit an all-time high last year, which is said to be the result of a sudden increase in demand for Korean rice cakes such as tteokbokki around the world.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Trade Corporation (aT) on the 29th, last year's rice cake exports totaled 91.4 million dollars (about 14.2 billion yen).
This is the highest figure ever, and a 17.5% increase from the 2023 figure of $77.8 million. In 2019, exports were $34.3 million, up 5.
The export volume increased three-fold in one year. The country with the largest export volume was the United States ($34 million), which accounted for 37% of the total. Next were the Netherlands ($8 million), Vietnam ($6.7 million), and Japan ($4.3 billion).
The order of exports was China (US$3.3 million), Canada (US$3.3 million), and the United States (US$3.2 million). The industry believes that the main reason for the increase in exports is the growing interest of overseas consumers in tteokbokki.
In fact, tteokbokki is gaining popularity around the world, and in December last year, Oxford University Press in the UK published a book called "Tteokbokki: The Food of the World."
In the English dictionary, "tteokbokki" was added as a new word along with "jjigae" (jjigae) and "noraebang" (karaoke).
In the United States, mochi is sold at major retailers such as Costco and Walmart. In North America and Europe, Korean mochi is considered a "gluten-free" product.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said, "Due to the popularity of simple meals at home and the Korean wave, more and more people are looking for K-tteok (Korean rice cake)," and "We are seeing an increase in exports."
"We will actively support the industry to ensure that this happens."