How Korean Cafeteria Meals Are Stealing The Show On TikTok

Lunch is one of the most important meals of the day for a Korean office worker. With long working hours and frequent overtime, the precious meal times often fade away into the hustle. In such situations, the lunch hour is crucial and highly anticipated. The latest K-Food trend perfectly captures this crucial hour and provides a taste of the elaborate Korean cafeteria system that serves one of the most hustle-centric nations.

"I think Korean food is diverse even to the ordinary office workers in Korea. It isn't just tasty, but also healthy. These things will be very appealing to the global audiences. That's why I like to make videos and share them," says John Kim (@Korean__Menu), a popular Instagram creator known for showcasing Korean cafeteria meals.

These videos typically show the creators picking up a bright melamine lunch tray and filling it up with delicious dishes. This tray will often feature an entrée, a soup, rice, or noodles, and an assortment of banchan (반찬, side dishes). On special days you may come across a sweet treat or a rejuvenating drink, but on most days the tray would feature some fruit to fulfill that criteria.

These short videos, no more than a minute long, have found their way into the feeds of millions on TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels. Most of them are titled variations of "Lunch Of An Ordinary Office Worker." One mustn't be fooled by that, though, as these videos are anything but ordinary.

 

How Did The “Lunch Of An Ordinary Office Worker” K-Food Trend Start?

The root of this TikTok trend lies deep in Korean culture that emp