Gim, once an everyday staple on Korean tables, is drawing attention in overseas markets and establishing itself as a global food.
On the 4th (local time), the BBC in Britain spotlighted the trend of gim, a common side dish for Koreans, gaining popularity around the world. The BBC said, "Korea leads global production and exports of gim," introducing the nickname "black semiconductor," as gim is likened to semiconductors, a core industry at home.
There are several gim-producing areas in Korea, but Seocheon in South Chungcheong is the representative region. The Donggukyeojiseungnam, compiled in the 12th year of King Seongjong of Joseon (1481), records Seocheon, Hadong and Gwangyang as the nation's three major gim-producing areas. Since then, production in Hadong and Gwangyang has fallen sharply, but Seocheon has continued as a main producing area to this day.
Even now, it is counted among the three major gim-producing regions along with Wando-Haenam and Sinan, and in 2023 it was also designated a "gim industry promotion zone" by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
Seocheon gim grows in an estuary where the freshwater of the Geum River meets the seawater of the West Sea. This area, where fresh and salt water mix, is rich in nutrients and is considered ideal for gim aquaculture. Dried gim produced in Seocheon accounts for about 40% of total domestic output.
In Seocheon, both fixed-post and floating methods of aquaculture are used. In the fixed-post method, poles are driven into the sea and the gim nets are secured so that at low tide the gim emerges above the water to receive sunlight, and at high tide it is submerged again.
Gim grows by absorbing nutrients in the sea and undergoing photosynthesis above the water. The floating method uses buoys to cultivate on a large scale in the open sea. However, for the "seed attachment" stage of affixing spores to the nets, producers adhere to the traditional fixed-post method to prevent foreign substances from sticking.
Seocheon gim has recently raised its profile in overseas markets as well. In 2024, it launched the nation's first "Chungnam international dried gim exchange" aimed at foreign buyers. While existing exchanges in places like Mokpo focused on domestic wholesalers and retailers, Seocheon is notable for targeting the international market.
Buoyed by these efforts, Seocheon's gim exports in 2025 reached $28.24 million, up 131.8% from a year earlier, marking a record high. It is drawing labels such as "export cash cow" and "semiconductor of the sea."
Seocheon County Chief Kim Gi-ung said, "Seocheon County accounts for most of South Chungcheong's raw gim production and is the only area in the province where 57 dried gim processors are concentrated, making it the hub of the gim industry," adding, "We will continue to support efforts to strengthen the competitiveness of Seocheon gim."
☞ Seasoned gim recipe
1) Toast the gim on both sides until crisp to remove any fishy odor, then put it in a bag and crumble it finely by hand.
2) Make a sauce by mixing 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce, 1/3 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1/3 tablespoon ground sesame seeds, 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic, and scallions.
3) Sprinkle the sauce evenly over the gim and mix quickly.
4) When the seasoning coats the gim evenly, turn off the heat and finish with a sprinkle of whole sesame seeds.
※ If the gim is excessively thin, it can taste salty, so it is better to add 1–2 more sheets.