Local media reported that the start of the Korean food craze, including the recent sell-out of frozen kimbap in the United States, was the ‘Mom Mukbang (eating broadcast)’ on the video sharing platform TikTok.
On the 6th (local time), NBC covered the kimbap craze in the U.S. and reported, “A Korean blogger contributed to this food (kimbap) going viral.” The kimbap product that was sold out is an in-house product from Trader Joe
‘s , a famous grocery store chain in the United States . This frozen gimbap, supplied by a food company headquartered in Gumi, Gyeongsangbuk-do, is gaining sensational popularity in the United States due to its affordable price of $3.99 for 9 pieces and its delicious taste. There are a lot of reviews on social media , such as people visiting Trader Joe’s every day or going on an 토토사이트‘open run’ early in the morning to get this frozen kimbap. Those who had difficulty purchasing frozen kimbap filmed and posted a review video of the kimbap being heated in the microwave, baked, fried, and dipped in sauce. NBC reported that the popularity of kimbap was due to a TikTok video by Sara An (27), a Korean living in Orange County, California. Early last month, when frozen kimbap was newly released at Trader Joe’s, Ahn purchased it and uploaded a video of her tasting it with her mother. The video gained attention, being viewed 11 million times on TikTok, and is said to have brought about the ‘kimbap craze.’ Ahn’s mother said she did not know that a video of her tasting was being filmed.
Mr. Ahn said, “When I was 5 years old, I was bullied because of kimbap. “Now, (kimbap) is being sold and sold out at Trader Joe’s,” he said. “Korean culture has reached a point where it can be accepted and consumed. “It’s a really crazy change,” he told NBC .
Meanwhile, it is reported that this frozen gimbap is sold out nationwide until at least October 31.