Korean Seaweed Snack Soars in Price as Global Fans Go Wild!

Gim, a type of dried seaweed, has long been a staple food in South Korea. It is black, crispy, and usually comes in flat, square sheets. For many families, gim is a regular part of their meals, often eaten with rice or as a snack. However, as Korean culture becomes more popular around the world, gim is now in high demand, and its price is rising quickly. This is causing concern among South Koreans who are used to buying gim at low prices.

Lee Hyang-ran, who has been selling gim for 47 years, remembers when foreigners thought gim looked strange. She says that people from Western countries used to think Koreans were eating something odd, like black paper. Now, she is surprised to see so many tourists and foreigners coming to her market stall in Seoul to buy gim. South Korea is the world's largest producer and exporter of gim, sending it to countries in Asia, North America, and Europe. Some people even call gim Korea's 'black semiconductor' because it is so important to the country's economy, just like computer chips. In 2025, South Korea's gim exports reached a record high of 1. 13 billion dollars.

As more people around the world want to try gim, the price in South Korea is going up. In 2024, one sheet of gim cost about 100 won, or six cents. Usually, people buy packs of ten or more sheets. But last month, the price rose to 150 won per sheet, the highest ever. Premium gim can cost as much as 350 won per sheet. Kim Jaela, a woman in her 30s, usually buys gim in bulk, about 500 small sheets at a time. She says she might have to change her shopping habits because gim is getting so expensive. She checks prices online and says she will not buy more if the price stays high.

The growing popularity of Korean culture, including K-pop and K-dramas, is making more people interested in Korean food. In the United States, a supermarket called Trader Joe's started selling gimbap, a rice roll wrapped in gim, and it quickly sold out. Miki, a visitor from Japan, says she learned about gim from Korean TV shows. She says gim is lighter and crispier than Japanese nori, and it is usually grilled with sesame oil and salt. Viola, a visitor from New York, enjoys eating gim as a snack and says it is a healthier alternative to potato chips.

Experts say that the rising price of gim is caused by several factors, including inflation, higher labor costs, and less seaweed being produced overseas. However, the main reason is the growing global demand for gim. To meet this demand, some factories in South Korea are thinking about expanding. Kim Namin, who runs a seasoned gim factory, says there are not enough factories to keep up with all the orders. His family is considering making more gim to sell overseas.

The South Korean government and food companies are trying to help by finding ways to grow more seaweed and keep prices stable. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries is watching the situation closely, and some companies are planning to build new research centers to grow seaweed all year round. In Seoul, markets are busy with tourists, and sellers like Lee are happy that gim is becoming popular worldwide. She says that gim is selling very fast, especially the kind used for making gimbap. She is proud that Korean gim is now famous around the world.