THE popularity of Korean culture in Malaysia has gone beyond K-pop to include its cuisine and fashion over the last few years.

The Malaysian Insight found that the number of Korean restaurants, as well as K-pop-styled boutiques and salons, has been increasing.

In the Klang Valley, two areas stand out for being enclaves of all things Korean.

The upscale twin Kuala Lumpur suburbs of Desa Sri Hartamas and Mont Kiara have been dubbed “Little Korea” due to the high concentration of Korean outlets there.

On the other side of the capital, in the conurbation of Ampang, Selangor, is  “Koreatown”, or Ampang K Street. 

Korean cuisine has become trendy in the country’s major urban centres, with diners in Penang, Malacca, Negri Sembilan and Pahang tucking into dishes like kimchi, samgyetang, beef bimbibap, bulgogi, popcorn chicken and odeng fishcake. 

Malaysians can now also enjoy kimchi at home as the spicy fermented cabbage is available not only at specialty Korean marts, but regular markets, too.

A Korean mart worker, who wanted to be identified only as Sally, said Malay and Chinese fans of Korean food and culture make up the bulk of her customers.

“We have a lot of Korean food such as kimchi. And it is halal,” said the 45-year-old, who has worked there for six years.

Korean food fan Koh, 65, said there has been a steady stream of migrants from Korea opening businesses in Malaysia.

“They have been coming here for some time now and have opened businesses. Their food is not bad, it is unique and spicy. It is just a little bit pricey.” 

In addition, the cultural appeal between Malaysia and Korea is evident through the increase in tourist numbers.

Tourism Malaysia recorded 616,783 South Korean tourist arrivals in 2018.

Meanwhile, the number of Malaysian tourists to South Korea is on the rise, from 28,090 in 2015 to 45,710 and 49,282 in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

Good business acumen

Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia (PPIM) spokesman Nadzim Johan said Korean businesses are well-strategised and their owners have good acumen.

“Fine planning has transformed them from a country that was once backwards to a developed one. 

“They want to compete and they feel that they are on a par or probably better than the Japanese. They have advertisements for kimchi in their soap operas. Do we have that in our local programmes?”

Dr Kartini Aboo Thalib said Korean products have been making waves all around the world, not just in Malaysia.

The assistant director of the Institute of Ethnic Studies at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia said the consumerism culture is growing along with democracy and capitalism.

“Foreign investments are a result of capitalism, which in turn encourages the consumerism culture based on current trends.

“People always want to try something new, like new recipes. Innovative food is appealing to a lot of people.”

However, she said, the level of influence of certain cultures depends on individual acceptance.

“Any extreme obsession with a certain culture will not bring any good. This can also mean that the influence of the Korean missionary movement can immerse itself in the consumerism culture.”

South Korea is Malaysia’s eighth-largest trading partner. – January 5, 2020.