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That last drizzle over bibimbap, the fragrant touch that binds gimbap fillings, the nutty finish that completes a bowl of seasoned vegetables. On Korean tables, sesame oil is so familiar it’s easy to overlook—but now it’s stepping into the spotlight as a new star in K-food exports.
As more overseas viewers watch Korean dramas and variety shows, then try cooking the recipes themselves, demand is growing not just for flashy finished products but for the basic ingredients that go into the cooking process. Sesame oil is one of the best examples of this shift.
This growth feels a little different from already-popular K-food items like gochujang, kimchi, or ramyeon. Those are more like finished products with their own complete flavor profiles, while sesame oil is more of a supporting ingredient—the one that perfects other dishes. Now that exports of finished products have reached a certain level of maturity, the seasoning and basic ingredient category is emerging as a new growth engine.
Record-Breaking Sesame Oil Exports in the First Half
According to the Korea Customs Service, from January to April 2026, Korean sesame oil exports reached $6.14 million (about 92 billion won)—a 37.0% increase from the same period last year. Export volume also rose to 657 tons, up 47.6% year-on-year. Both value and volume are the highest ever recorded for the January–April period. Following annual exports of $13.01 million in 2024 and $16.68 million in 2025, this year continues the steep upward trend.
Just a heads-up: this is a record for the cumulative January–April period, not the full year. The final annual figure will depend on second-half exports. Still, three consecutive years of double-digit growth from 2024 through the first half of 2026 suggests this isn’t a passing fad—it’s a steady expansion of demand.
The Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) and other agencies have been ramping up K-food marketing overseas in recent years, and that’s certainly connected to this trend. Negotiations to get into major overseas retailers, collaborations with local food influencers, support for international food fairs—these efforts to promote Korean ingredients are now paying off with increased exports of foundational items like sesame oil.
The Biggest Market Is the U.S.—And Distribution Channels Are Changing
The largest market is the United States, with exports of $2.6 million accounting for 41.7% of the total. It’s followed by Canada, Taiwan, Australia, and the Netherlands. Beyond Korean-American consumers, local home cooks who follow Korean recipes are starting to see sesame oil as a basic pantry staple for Korean cooking.
This expansion goes hand-in-hand with changes in distribution. While sesame oil was once only easy to find at Korean markets or Asian grocery stores, it’s now popping up in the international food aisles of major supermarket chains and on online shopping platforms. As YouTube channels and social media content introducing Korean cooking methods grow, more households are keeping at least a small bottle of sesame oil on hand.
It’s also notable that the Netherlands made the top five. While the European market for Korean ingredients is still in its early stages, the rise of Korean restaurants and Asian markets in the Netherlands and other Western European countries is driving small-scale imports of basic ingredients like sesame oil.
Health Food Trends and the Everyday-ization of K-Food
Two trends are converging behind this growth. First, there’s the growing interest in healthy eating and plant-based diets. Sesame oil has a strong aroma that can transform a dish with just a small amount, and the fact that it’s made without chemical additives—just pure sesame flavor—aligns with the preference for natural foods. Of course, sesame oil is calorie-dense, so it’s more about using it mindfully as a flavoring oil rather than consuming it excessively for health reasons. At home, it’s better suited for a final drizzle at the end of cooking than for prolonged stir-frying over high heat.
The bigger driver is the everyday-ization of K-food. As overseas viewers see bibimbap, bulgogi, gimbap, and various namul on TV and then try cooking them at home, demand is growing beyond finished products like gochujang, soy sauce, and ramyeon to include the ingredients that go into the cooking process itself. As Korean food shifts from ‘a restaurant meal to try once’ to ‘a home-cooked meal I make myself,’ the role of sesame oil becomes more important.
In the global culinary world, interest in ‘finishing oils’—oils added at the very end to enhance aroma—has been steadily growing. Just as extra virgin olive oil is consumed in a similar way, sesame oil is increasingly being introduced not just as a cooking oil but as a finishing oil that adds a final burst of fragrance. This positioning can help expand sesame oil from a ‘special ingredient for Korean food only’ to a versatile seasoning oil that can be applied to various cuisines.
What’s Next for the Underrated Ingredient Making Its Way to Global Tables
The rise in sesame oil exports also signals that K-food has moved beyond just selling specific branded products. The basic ingredients that make up the flavor of Korean cuisine—the very grammar of the food culture—are migrating into overseas kitchens. When a foreign consumer buys a bottle of sesame oil, it’s not just about buying oil. It’s about buying the option to recreate bibimbap, japchae, or seasoned vegetables at their own table.
Challenges remain. Since sesame oil’s aroma and susceptibility to rancidity are key concerns, maintaining quality during long-distance shipping and providing clear information about origin, ingredients, and manufacturing methods will determine consumer trust. Providing multilingual guidance on how to use it for stir-frying or seasoning, storage methods, and allergy information is also essential. For consumers with sesame allergies, ingredient labeling is especially critical.
Even within Korea, sesame oil varies by region in pressing method and roasting intensity, and there’s a consumer base that enjoys the differences in flavor depending on the region and variety. If this diversity is introduced to overseas markets, we could see ‘Korean sesame oil’ segment into a range of grades and flavor profiles. Packaging size matters too: instead of the large bottles familiar in Korean homes, smaller bottles could lower the entry barrier for overseas consumers trying sesame oil for the first time.
The globalization of K-food isn’t complete with just flashy main dishes. It needs the small ingredients that connect the rice and the side dishes, that make the distinctive aroma of Korean cuisine linger in memory. The first-half 2026 sesame oil export record shows that this ‘hidden player’ is now making its presence felt on global tables. Next time you spot a bottle of sesame oil at a foreign supermarket, remember that inside that small bottle lies the story of K-food expanding from finished products to the entire food culture.
