| By ABNA

Muslim Travel Fuels Change on Seoul’s Restaurant Streets

Muslim tourists are reshaping South Korea’s dining landscape as Halal-friendly food options gain prominence across major tourist districts in Seoul. From Sinchon to Myeongdong, restaurants are adjusting menus, kitchen practices, and even facilities to accommodate the dietary and religious needs of Muslim visitors—whose numbers now exceed one million annually.

At 6:30 p.m. on the 26th, a grilled fish restaurant near Sinchon Station in Seodaemun-gu was packed. More than 40 seats were filled by Muslim tourists wearing hijabs, confidently pointing to menu photos and ordering grilled mackerel, Spanish mackerel, and spicy stir-fried squid. When the dishes arrived, delighted reactions followed: “Terbaik (the best)!”

Once a student-favorite eatery, the restaurant now reports that foreign customers—mostly Muslim tourists—account for nearly 70 percent of sales over the past two to three years. The shift followed growing word-of-mouth recognition online as a “Halal-friendly restaurant,” referring to food permitted under Islamic law.

From Kebabs to Korean Cuisine

As K-pop and K-beauty continue to attract Muslim travelers, their culinary preferences in Korea are evolving. Previously concentrated around kebab shops and lamb-based eateries in Itaewon, Muslim tourists are now actively seeking Korean restaurants that respect halal principles.

According to the Korea Tourism Organization, Muslim visitor numbers rose from 360,000 in 2022 to 800,000 in 2023. Last year, arrivals reached 1.03 million, and by October this year, 998,000 visitors had already entered the country—putting Korea on track to exceed one million Muslim tourists for a second consecutive year.

Despite this surge, only around 15 restaurants nationwide hold official halal certification from the Korea Islamic Federation (KMF) Halal Committee. As a result, Muslim travelers rely heavily on social media, food platforms, and travel apps to identify “Halal-friendly” restaurants—those that avoid pork and alcohol or focus on seafood and vegetable-based menus, even without certification.

Prayer Rooms, Pork-Free Menus, Growing Demand

At 1 p.m. the same day, a Korean restaurant in Myeongdong was bustling with Muslim families, including visitors with infants in strollers. Customers ordered pork-free army stew and gimbap prepared according to halal methods. A notice on the wall read: “Prayer room available inside the restaurant.”

Tourist-heavy districts such as Myeongdong, Sinchon, and Bukchon have become hotspots for Muslim-friendly dining. Restaurants now offer kimchi fried rice without fermented seafood, soy-based army stew, and other adapted dishes. Shim Mo, 59, a restaurant owner in Myeongdong, said, “We no longer use processed meat due to the rising number of Muslim tourists.”

Temple Food Gains Global Appeal

Muslim tourists are also embracing Korea’s temple food culture. At a vegan temple cuisine restaurant in Insadong, women in hijabs lined up before lunchtime to order soybean bulgogi wraps, shiitake rice rolls, and plum tangsuyu made with fried mushrooms. The restaurant’s vegan status aligns naturally with halal requirements.

Employee Song Tae-hyun, 30, noted that the restaurant also conducts cooking classes for Muslim visitors interested in learning temple food recipes—highlighting growing cultural exchange through cuisine.

A Shift Toward Active Culinary Exploration

Professor Jeong Lan-su of Hanyang University’s Tourism Department observed that Muslim tourists’ food consumption patterns are evolving.

“Muslim travelers are moving from a passive phase—seeking familiar foreign foods—to an active phase of exploring Korean cuisine within religious guidelines,” he said.

As Muslim tourism continues to expand, Korea’s food scene is undergoing a quiet but meaningful transformation—one shaped not by certification alone, but by adaptability, inclusivity, and cultural awareness.

Source:

ABNA. (2025). Muslim tourists reshape Korea’s food scene with Halal-friendly options. https://en.abna24.com/news/1767293/Muslim-tourists-reshape-Korea-s-food-scene-with-Halal-friendly