[Features reporter] People make Korean rice cakes, develop new recipes amid global popularity

It's just a little past lunchtime here in Korea and the perfect time for an afternoon snack maybe something traditional.

And Kun-woo, I heard you have something related to share with us today?

Today, I brought a topic related to Korean food.

Even though we just had lunch, it's always fun to talk about the world of food.

Now let me ask you both -are you big fans of rice cakes?

Well, it's not just us who love rice cakes so much; many people all over the world are enjoying them.

But before I dive deeper, let's take a look at how rice cakes are being embraced globally.

Chewy, bouncy Korean rice cakes are gaining global popularity.

And it's not just on their own, but also in dishes made with them, including "tteokbokki" or spicy stir-fried rice cakes, along with a growing presence of Korean content.

Tteokbokki was even added to the Oxford English Dictionary last year.

As interest in rice cake grows, foreigners are finding ways to make their own.

One way for visitors to Korea is by taking one-day cooking classes.

"I've seen many "tteok" related videos with always these kind of platforms, TikTok, Instagram and I always wanted to try them. They're becoming a boom right now because everybody wants to know more."

These classes are getting even more popular than before, to the point where they fill up within a day of opening.

"Foreign visitors (they) are really huge fan of Korean staple food of rice cake. So we decided to hold this class regularly. Korean food has always been like a big trend and I think also in the rice cake they added more of the global potentials."

Back at their homes, people are getting more creative, inventing their own recipes instead of just following the originals.

One example is the viral "kkultteok" cereal that even made its way back to Korea.

“So this is the popular “kkultteok” cereal that started going viral on social media outside Korea. All you need to do is pour milk on the rice cakes. Now, I’m going to try it myself to see why this has gained such popularity.”

Along with this trend, rice cake exports have grown rapidly.

According to South Korea's Food Ministry, exports exceeded 91 million U.S. dollars in 2024, around triple the figure from five years ago.

An expert expects continued growth, citing specific factors.

"Rice cakes tailored to local tastes, easy preparation, and a shelf life of over a year have boosted exports. The global market will continue to trend toward convenience and health-conscious foods as they are now."

He also said establishing local distribution networks globally will be key to maintaining the momentum.

Park Kun-woo, Arirang News.

Now, I'm wondering how kkultteok cereal actually tastes.

Me too.

How was it Kun-woo?

Personally, I've been a huge fan of kkultteok, honey-filled rice cakes, ever since I was a kid.

So, eating it like a cereal was also really good, as you saw from all my facial expressions and everything during the report.

But at the same time, I also thought it might not be the best idea to eat too much at once, as it could spike your blood sugar levels.

And we shouldn't underestimate the calories. That's why tteok even is the main ingredient in some main dishes, like tteokguk (rice cake soup) for instance.

Kunwoo, I've heard that the invention of recipes like the kkultteok cereal is part of a growing trend in the food industry these days.

Can you tell us some more about it?

Of course.

So, the phenomenon behind these cases is based on what's called a "modisumer," a blend of "modify" and "consumer," meaning that today's consumers are consuming products in their own unique ways.

In the case of the kkultteok cereal, that's not traditionally how Koreans would eat those honey-filled rice cakes.

But what's even cooler is that as the recipe went viral on social media abroad, Korean snack companies started creating rice cakes specifically for cereals, with plans to export them later this year.

Another case of the "modisumer" trend is something that might be very familiar to you all -jjapaguri or ramdon -from the global hit movie "Parasite."

Now before we let you go, any last rice cake recommendations you can give to our viewers?

Any "modisumer" recipes of your own?

I have plenty.

Just to give you some ideas today, I want to share how I enjoy "garaetteok," white, round, stick shaped rice cake that are also used to make tteokbokki.

They're great on their own.

But what I would recommend is to grill them in a frying pan, rolling them until they get brown and crispy.

Then dip them in honey -Game set!

Another great way to enjoy them is by wrapping them in "gim," dried seaweed which gives it an extra "kick."

Also, adding sliced garaetteok to Korean soups is another way I enjoy them.

Try adding them to your ramyeon!

I bet you'll love it.

Alright Kun-woo, thanks for all of that.

We'll see you next time.

Thank you Kun-woo.

Of course, see you.