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Kimchi, ginseng and halal beef: Korea's food diplomacy gets foothold in UAE
Through food fairs, Korean culture showcases in UAE, Korea deepens commercial ties across Middle Eastern markets for Korean flavors
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Welcoming a contingent of Korean food makers, an exhibition hall in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, turned into a vibrant showcase of Korea's food industry Tuesday.
The 2025 Dubai K-Food Fair, a two-day event held from Tuesday to Wednesday by the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation, or aT, brought together 30 Korean companies and 60 buyers from across the Middle East.
Thirty booths lined the venue, each representing a slice of the K-food industry, with a singular purpose: To turn Korea's food culture into tangible export deals in Islamic consumer markets.
Much of the focus centered on red ginseng, rice cakes, Korean beef and, perhaps needless to say, kimchi. During the fair, more than 251 tailored one-on-one meetings were conducted, culminating in seven memorandums of understanding valued at over $2 million, according to aT.
At Nonghyup Red Ginseng's booth, a director surnamed Nam, fresh from a business meeting with a local buyer, said the buyer had shown keen interest in the product's reputed health benefits and skin-enhancing properties.
'We're equipped to produce halal-certified ginseng," he said. "With the UAE's strategic location, strong consumer spending and rising appreciation for Korean ginseng, it offers an ideal entry point to the broader Middle Eastern market."
Roydon Dmello, CEO of Pure Heart General Trading, was among the many buyers at the event. He said that tteokbokki, Korea's spicy rice cake dish, has the most market potential.
'I think tteokbokki has strong growth potential, but if the texture were a bit softer, people would enjoy it more,' he said, adding that he also imports rabokki, a variation that includes ramyeon, which sells very well.
Enthusiasm for Korean food among UAE consumers is already showing up in the numbers. As of May, Korea's food exports to the UAE had risen 40.2 percent on-year, totaling $116 million.
Joo Won-chul, director general of the Food Industry Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, pledged to adapt to shifting conditions to sustain Korean food's momentum.
'We will respond swiftly to the rapidly changing export landscape and actively address the challenges faced by exporters," he said.
Change of scene, palate
The event's success encapsulates a sharp shift, according to Shin Dong-chul, founder of 1004 Gourmet, a UAE-based Korean food and beauty retail company that operates five stores and supplies Korean products to more than 600 hotels and restaurants.
When the first shop opened in 2008, Korean food was largely unfamiliar to local consumers.
'Back then, around 80 percent of our customers were Korean expatriates. Now, that figure has flipped, 80 percent are non-Korean,' Shin said during an interview with The Korea Herald, attributing the shift to the global rise of Korean culture and, more recently, word-of-mouth among chefs and influencers.
Shin is also at the center of a growing campaign to introduce premium Korean cuisine, particularly Hanwoo to one of the world's most discerning halal markets.
'The chefs here always ask, 'Where's the Hanwoo?'" Shin said. 'They know it from visits to Korea. They remember the flavor.' Unlike Japanese Wagyu, prized for its high fat content, Hanwoo offers a more balanced profile with rich aroma, distinct flavor and a savory, firm texture, he added.
Hanwoo's popularity was palpable not only at the food fair but also at its first-ever launch showcase in Abu Dhabi, hosted by aT a day earlier to introduce Korea's halal-certified Hanwoo.
'At Hanwoo's first launch event, several attendees expressed interest in importing the beef," an official from the Hapcheon Livestock Cooperative Federation said. "During the fair, one group visited a different Hanwoo booth and signed an MOU.'
Korean food fervor in Dubai shows no signs of slowing, with the Dubai branch of Korea 360 — a physical space established through interagency efforts to showcase Korean content from dramas and K-pop to food, fashion and cosmetics — helping sustain the momentum.
'Since opening in April, the Dubai branch has drawn an average of 1,200 visitors on weekends and about 400 on weekdays,' said Park Young-il, director of the UAE Business Center at the Korea Creative Content Agency.
Park said the venue, which will run through April next year, is expected to promote Hallyu and support Korea's broader market expansion in the Middle East.
