Exports of the Korean staple kimchi reached a new high in 2023, amid the climbing popularity of South Korea’s other wildly successful product – K-entertainment.

Outbound shipments of kimchi surged 7.1 per cent to 44,041 tonnes, breaking the previous record set in 2021 when export volume hit 42,544 tonnes, according to data compiled by the Korea Customs Service.

In monetary terms, the traditional Korean side dish made from fermented cabbage brought in US$155.6 million (S$209 million) in 2023, up 10.5 per cent from 2022, reported Korean news outlet Yonhap.

“Kimchi exports experienced a significant surge last year, primarily attributed to the increased popularity of K-content,” an agricultural ministry official said.

Japan was the top importer of kimchi in 2023, accounting for 20,173 tonnes, followed by the United States in second place (10,660 tonnes) and the Netherlands, a distant third (1,756 tonnes).

South Korea also imports kimchi, mostly from China, due to high production costs in the domestic market.

The country reported lower volume of kimchi imports in 2023, valued at US$163.5 million, down 3.4 per cent from the year before.

South Korea finished with a kimchi trade deficit of US$7.95 million.