At Seoul Store in Saidapet, the first thing that catches your eye when you walk in are shelves of Maxim coffee. The bright yellow boxes that have coffee premix sticks are a K-drama staple; Song Joong-ki as Vincenzo in the 2021 show of the same name, downs cups of Maxim coffee and memorably proclaims that he will never forget the aroma of the drink .
“Our Indian customers here prefer the Mocha Gold Mild variant. Most of them come asking for Maxim after having seen it on K-dramas,” says Tamil, a salesperson who shows me around the store.
With the meteoric rise of the Hallyu or Korean Wave that encompasses Korean popular culture, especially over the last few years, there is a demand like never before for Korean snacks, food, and even ingredients. In Chennai’s Korean supermarkets, there is something for everyone — be it their regular Korean clientele, or those from Chennai wanting to get a taste of South Korea, one snack at a time.
