Bibigo serves Mini Wontons, Spicy Kimchi Ramen and K-Sauces to U.S. consumers
Partnership with ALPHA DRIVE ONE expands brand engagement among global K-pop fans
CJ CheilJedang said on Aug. 18 that its global K-food brand Bibigo attracted more than 10,000 visitors to its experiential booth at KCON LA 2026, held at the Los Angeles Convention Center from Aug. 14 to 16.
The South Korean food company used the three-day K-pop convention to introduce U.S. consumers to Korean flavors through interactive games, product tastings and content featuring K-pop artists, as it seeks to strengthen Bibigo's position in the global K-food market.
Under the theme "K-Flavor Arcade," the Bibigo booth highlighted four flavor profiles associated with Korean food: kimchi, sweet and savory, sweet and spicy, and spicy.
Visitors were able to experience the flavors through motion-based games before sampling Bibigo products, combining entertainment with food tasting rather than relying on conventional product displays.
The tasting menu included Bibigo Mini Wontons, Spicy Kimchi Ramen and three varieties of K-Sauce, giving visitors an opportunity to try products sold or promoted in the U.S. market.
CJ CheilJedang said more than 10,000 people visited the Bibigo booth during the event, with the prepared tasting products quickly running out.
The company also incorporated K-pop into the experience through its global brand ambassador ALPHA DRIVE ONE. Digital content featuring the group and a dedicated artist-themed zone were installed at the booth, allowing K-pop fans to encounter Bibigo products as part of a broader Korean cultural experience.
The strategy reflects CJ CheilJedang's efforts to convert growing global interest in Korean entertainment into greater awareness and consumption of Korean food.
Rather than marketing K-food as a standalone category, the company is increasingly connecting Bibigo with music, entertainment and digital content that already have large international audiences.
KCON provides a particularly direct platform for that approach, bringing together younger consumers who are already familiar with Korean music and culture.
CJ CheilJedang also partnered with U.S.-based influencers to distribute digital content from the event, extending the campaign beyond visitors who attended KCON LA in person.
The initiative comes as Bibigo continues to expand its overseas product portfolio beyond dumplings, which have played a major role in establishing the brand in the U.S. market. The company is increasingly promoting Korean-style noodles, sauces, kimchi and other products as it seeks to broaden consumer recognition of K-food.
For CJ CheilJedang, the expansion of K-food consumption is also becoming increasingly linked to the wider global reach of Korean culture. K-pop, Korean dramas and other content can provide an initial point of familiarity, while food products offer consumers a way to experience Korean culture in their everyday lives.
"Through this year's KCON, we were able to deliver Bibigo's distinctive flavors and experiences to global consumers as a leading K-food brand," a CJ CheilJedang official said.
"We will continue to expand our engagement with global consumers through various marketing activities linked to K-culture and further strengthen Bibigo's position as a leading K-food brand."
As competition intensifies among Korean food companies seeking international growth, CJ CheilJedang is positioning Bibigo not simply as a Korean food label but as a consumer brand closely connected with the broader expansion of K-culture.
The strong turnout at KCON LA illustrates the potential of that strategy, with the company seeking to turn global K-pop fandom into longer-term interest in Korean food and Bibigo products.
