Korea’s appetite for burgers — which in local parlance is not limited just to beef — as a staple meal has never been stronger, with the market’s value climbing from 2.1 trillion won ($1.51 billion) in 2014 to a projected 5 trillion won this year, according to market research firm Euromonitor.
While both international and domestic chains race to capture a bigger share of the market, a clear pattern is taking shape: international brands localize, while domestic players go global.
McDonald’s Korea
- The company returned to profit last year for the first time in eight years, posting 11.7 billion won in operating profit and 115.3 billion won in net income.
- Revenue rose 11.8 percent to a record 1.25 trillion won, while total sales, including franchises, grew 9.1 percent to 1.41 trillion won.
- Customer-centric initiatives, innovative menus and operational efficiency fueled growth.
- Product launches featuring local ingredients also drove sales, with standout items like the Changnyeong garlic burger (5.3 million sold) and the Jindo green onion croquette burger (4.8 million sold).
- In July, the Iksan sweet potato mozzarella burger topped 1 million sales in just nine days.
Burger King Korea
- BKR, operator of Burger King and Tim Hortons in Korea, posted a record 384 billion won in operating profit last year, up 60.4 percent, with revenue rising 6.4 percent to 792.7 billion won.
- Bold marketing and consumer-driven campaigns have been key growth drivers, highlighted by a mock ad announcing the end of Whopper sales and the return of discontinued items.
- Overseas success has followed for locally developed items, including the quattro cheese Whopper, now sold in seven countries such as the US, China and Japan.
- Korean-sourced ingredients, such as mushrooms and bulgogi sauce, are now supplied to international markets.
Lotteria
- Lotte GRS, operator of Lotteria, posted 995.4 billion won in revenue last year, up 7.7 percent, with operating profit surging 87.6 percent to 39.1 billion won.
- Lotteria generated over 70 percent of Lotte GRS’s total sales.
- Key growth drivers include product innovation, store upgrades and increased automation.
- The fast-food chain maintains a strong presence in Asian markets such as Vietnam, Mongolia, Myanmar and Laos.
- In August, it signed a new partnership in Malaysia to open 30 stores over five years and launched its first US location in Fullerton, California.
Mom's Touch
- Mom’s Touch posted record results last year with revenue of 417.9 billion won and operating profit of 73.4 billion won.
- Founded in 2004 and known for its affordable, high-quality chicken sandwiches, it became Korea’s largest burger chain by store count, with 1,450 locations as of January.
- Current overseas operations span Mongolia, Thailand and Japan, with Laos and Cambodia set to follow in the second half of the year.
- Its first store in the Shibuya neighborhood of Tokyo, drew over 700,000 visitors and generated 5 billion won in its first year.
- The brand’s largest global outlet is scheduled to open in September in the Harajuku area of Tokyo.
