How are Korean staples like kimchi adapted for non-rice markets?

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Korean staples like kimchi and gochujang are increasingly adapted into everyday foods in non-rice markets through familiar Western formats and viral fusion twists.
In places where rice is not a staple, Korean ingredients such as kimchi and gochujang are being folded into foods people already eat, including burgers, fries, cookies and pizza. Viral examples include a Mexican-style kimchi jjigae made with pork and grilled pineapple, and in Japan a milder version of kimchi jjigae cooked with an entire Camembert cheese.
Kimchi jjigae is being remixed with local “comfort” ingredients
Kimchi jjigae is a Korean stew built around kimchi and commonly cooked with pork, and it has been adapted overseas in ways that change the flavour profile while keeping the core idea of the stew. A Mexican twist that went viral uses pork and grilled pineapple, drawing inspiration from al pastor tacos, which are known for red-marinated pork often paired with pineapple. In Japan, kimchi jjigae has also trended in a creamier direction by cooking the stew with a whole Camembert cheese.
Gochujang is showing up in desserts and sauces, not just traditional dishes
Gochujang is a Korean staple paste with a sweet-and-spicy character, and it is increasingly used in non-traditional formats such as caramel cookies, brownies and pizza sauces. In the United States and Europe, gochujang caramel cookies became widely known after coverage in The New York Times, and they were later named one of the publication’s “50 Reader-Favorite Hit Recipes of 2024.” Pizza sauce variations blend gochujang with ingredients including garlic, cheese and honey, with reviewers describing the mix as versatile for toppings like steak or pasta.
Fusion cooking is spreading through viral formats, sparking mixed reactions
Fusion dishes are being tested in public through social media recipes, which can quickly trigger debate about how far adaptations should go. The pineapple kimchi stew example drew responses ranging from amusement to discomfort, with some Korean users criticising it as “too far” while others felt the sweet-and-sour profile could work. Some commenters compared the stew to “the kimchi jjigae version of Hawaiian pizza,” using jokes to frame how pineapple-on-savoury combinations are often divisive.
The adaptation trend is tied to how K-food becomes mainstream abroad
Food industry observers describe these changes as part of the natural evolution of K-food as it becomes more mainstream overseas. In markets where rice is not a staple, Korean ingredients are increasingly used in everyday cooking rather than limited to Korean-style meals, with kimchi and gochujang appearing in familiar formats such as burgers, fries, cookies and pizza. One insider characterisation was that people are using these ingredients in regular cooking as Korean cuisine moves beyond a passing trend.

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How are Korean staples like kimchi adapted for non-rice markets?

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