Muslim tourists embrace halal Korean dishes
More visitors seek Korean cuisine adapted to Islamic dietary laws in Seoul's tourist hotspots
SEOUL, South Korea (MNTV) — As K-pop and K-beauty trends attract more Muslim tourists to South Korea, their “culinary maps” are changing. Muslims, who previously relied on kebabs or lamb dishes in areas like Itaewon, Seoul, are now actively seeking Korean restaurants that meet halal standards, reports The Chosun Daily.
According to the Korea Tourism Organization, Muslim tourists increased from 360,000 in 2022 to 800,000 in 2023. Last year, 1.03 million visited, and as of October this year, 998,000 have arrived, suggesting Korea will surpass 1 million visitors for two consecutive years.
However, only around 15 restaurants nationwide have received Halal certification from the Korea Islamic Federation (KMF) Halal Committee. Consequently, Muslim tourists share information about “Halal-friendly” restaurants via social media and dedicated food/travel apps.
They visit and review eateries that avoid pork and alcohol, or focus on seafood and vegetable-based menus, even if uncertified.
At 6:30 p.m. on the 26th December, a grilled fish restaurant near Sinchon Station in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, was packed with customers. Over 40 seats were filled with Muslim tourists wearing hijabs.
Pointing at menu photos as if familiar, they shouted “This one!” to staff. As grilled mackerel, Spanish mackerel, and spicy stir-fried squid arrived, they exclaimed, “Terbaik (the best)!”
This restaurant was originally popular with university students. However, after gaining word-of-mouth fame as a “Halal-friendly restaurant” among Muslim tourists, foreign sales now account for 70 percent over the past 2–3 years. Halal means permitted in Arabic, referring to food permissible for Muslims under Islamic law.
Restaurants in Myeongdong, Sinchon, and Bukchon—areas popular with foreign tourists—are gaining traction by offering Muslim-friendly dishes like kimchi fried rice without fermented seafood and army stew with soy meat. Shim Mo, 59, who runs a Korean restaurant in Myeongdong, said, “We no longer use processed meat due to the rising number of Muslim tourists.”
Muslims also frequent temple food restaurants. At 11:30 a.m. on the 26th, women in hijabs lined up at a temple food restaurant in Insadong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. The restaurant’s sign read “Vegan Restaurant.”
The women ordered dishes like soybean bulgogi wraps, shiitake rice rolls, and plum tangsuyu made with fried mushrooms instead of meat. Employee Song Tae-hyun, 30, said, “We also run cooking classes for Muslim customers interested in temple food recipes.”
Professor Jeong Lan-su from Hanyang University’s Tourism Department stated, “Muslim tourists’ consumption patterns are evolving from a passive phase of seeking familiar foreign foods to an active phase of exploring and consuming Korean cuisine within religious guidelines.”
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