Cardi B turned a casual Instagram Live session into a global Korean food revolution after her enthusiastic reaction to gochu tuna sent millions scrambling to recreate her meal.
The Bronx rapper recently went live on Instagram to share her latest culinary discovery after shopping at H Mart, the largest Korean grocery chain in America.
During the broadcast, she mixed Korean gochu tuna with rice and mayonnaise, then wrapped the combination in gim (Korean seaweed sheets) while delivering her unfiltered commentary.
“Koreans are crazy,” she marveled during the live stream, adding, “The combination of gochu tuna and gim is perfect.”
Her genuine excitement over the simple yet flavorful dish resonated with viewers worldwide. The edited version of her mukbang session exploded across social media platforms, racking up over 4 million views on YouTube alone.
The moment birthed the #GochuTunaChallenge hashtag, with fans and food enthusiasts recreating her exact recipe combination.
The viral moment delivered immediate business results for Korean food companies. Dongwon F&B, riding the wave of international attention, expanded gochu tuna exports to 28 countries, including the United States, Japan, Vietnam and China.
This marks the second time this year that Cardi B has inadvertently boosted Korean food sales.
In March, she posted a TikTok video praising Korean red ginseng, declaring, “It works better than coffee. I feel awake all day.”
That clip surpassed 1 million views within two weeks, creating what industry experts called an “overseas red ginseng craze.”
The rapper joins a growing list of celebrities whose food endorsements have transformed Korean exports.
BTS members’ love for Buldak spicy ramyeon and Chacharoni helped establish these products as global K-food ambassadors.
BLACKPINK’s Jennie mentioned Banana Kick as her favorite Korean snack on “The Jennifer Hudson Show” earlier this year, resulting in a 69% jump in U.S. export volume the following month.
Korean food exports have experienced remarkable growth, reaching $7.02 billion last year, according to the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The gochu tuna phenomenon demonstrates how authentic celebrity reactions can drive consumer behavior across cultural boundaries, transforming a simple grocery store purchase into a global food trend.