China's 'mala' sauce breaks Korea's culinary boundaries
"Mala" is enchanting Korean palates across the domestic food industry. The tongue-numbingly spicy seasoning that is a traditional favorite in China's Sichuan province has become a popular ingredient for dishes beyond just Chinese cuisine, spreading to Korean and Western dishes in both the dine-in and takeout scenes. Since its introduction to Korea in the early 2010s, the popularity of mala among…
Mala sauce, known for its tongue-numbing spiciness, is captivating Korean palates beyond its traditional roots in China's Sichuan province. Introduced to Korea in the early 2010s, mala's popularity has been steadily growing among Korean consumers since 2018. Online searches for "malatang" (mala-based hot pot) surged 350% in 2022 compared to the previous year, while "mala rosé" (mala and creamy tomato sauce) saw a 250% increase during the same period.
The frenzy over mala is evident in Korea's dine-in scene. The largest Korean malatang franchise, Tanghuo Kungfu, reported sales of 25.5 billion won ($19 million) last year, nearly tripling its revenue from 2022. Chunli Malatang experienced a 134% sales increase, and Lahongbang saw a 32% rise compared to the previous year. This year, fast-food giants McDonald's Korea, Binggrae, and Otok have also incorporated mala into their menus.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- China's 'mala' sauce breaks Korea's culinary boundaries koreatimes.co.kr
