Do Koreans Avoid Sugar? Unpacking the Sweet and Savory Truths

January 10, 2026 •

5 min read

While traditional Korean cuisine emphasizes a balance of flavors where sweetness is subtle, modern health studies show a different picture: a significant percentage of Koreans, particularly younger generations, consume high levels of sugar from processed foods and beverages. This reveals the complexity behind the question, 'Do Koreans avoid sugar?', highlighting a gap between culinary tradition and modern dietary reality.

Quick Summary

This article explores the dual role of sugar in the Korean diet, examining its traditional function in balancing savory flavors and the rise of excessive consumption from processed modern foods.

Key Points

Traditional vs. Modern Use: While traditional Korean cooking uses small amounts of sugar to balance savory flavors, modern diets, especially among youth, feature higher consumption from processed foods and beverages.
Balance Over Sweetness: In traditional cuisine, sugar is a background ingredient used to achieve gamchilmat, a deep, rich flavor, rather than creating an overtly sweet taste.
Processed Foods are Key Contributors: Studies show that ultra-processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages are major sources of high sugar intake in contemporary Korea.
Age-Based Differences: Consumption patterns differ significantly by age; adolescents and young adults are the highest consumers of sugary drinks and snacks.
Zero-Sugar Trend: A growing 'zero-sugar' market, particularly for beverages, exists in response to increasing health consciousness, though it introduces a new debate on artificial sweeteners.
Health Concerns: Excessive sugar intake is a recognized public health issue in South Korea, linked to rising obesity and metabolic disorders among younger generations.

The Traditional Role of Sugar in Korean Cuisine

In traditional Korean cooking, sugar, or seoltang (설탕), has never been a flavor to be showcased but rather a supporting actor to balance other intense tastes like salt, spice, and sourness. This is a key distinction from Western culinary uses, where sugar often serves as the star of desserts. The concept of ohmi (오미), or the five flavors, guides this philosophy, requiring sweetness to harmonize with the other elements. Historically, cooks used natural sweeteners like honey (kkul), grain syrup (jocheong), and fruit juices from Korean pears or plums to achieve this desired balance, especially in marinades for dishes like bulgogi and galbi.

How Sugar Creates 'Gamchilmat'

Korean cuisine prizes a concept known as gamchilmat (감칠맛), a profound and savory richness of flavor that is often described as the Korean equivalent of umami. The strategic use of a small amount of sugar is essential for achieving this depth. It rounds out the sharp edges of salty soy sauce or fermented chili paste (gochujang), allowing the more complex savory notes to shine without the dish tasting overtly sweet. For example, in japchae, the glass noodle stir-fry, a touch of sugar brings out the sweetness of vegetables while keeping the dish from tasting flat. This masterful balance is why many traditional savory dishes have a subtle underlying sweetness that is not always immediately identifiable to the uninitiated palate.

The Shift Toward Modern Sugar Consumption

While traditional practices exercise restraint, modern South Korean dietary habits have seen a significant increase in sugar intake, largely driven by the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and beverages. A 2024 study on the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) highlighted that a notable portion of Koreans, nearly 20%, consume sugar in excess of recommended levels, with consumption being highest among adolescents and young adults. The high prevalence of convenience stores and a fast-paced urban lifestyle contributes to the easy accessibility and frequent consumption of sugary snacks and drinks.

Common sources of high sugar in the modern Korean diet include:

Carbonated and energy drinks, particularly popular among students and young professionals.
Sweetened coffee, a major contributor to sugar intake for older and middle-aged adults.
Processed snacks like Honey Butter Chips and sweet baked goods.
Certain Korean desserts, such as bingsu (shaved ice) with sweetened toppings and yakgwa (honey pastry), are intended to be sweet.

Comparison of Sugar Sources: Traditional vs. Modern Diet


Feature	Traditional Korean Diet	Modern Korean Diet
Primary Sweetener	Natural sources like pear juice, honey, rice syrup (jocheong), and fruit extracts.	Refined white sugar, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners.
Culinary Use	Used judiciously to balance savory, salty, and spicy flavors; primarily for sauces, marinades, and fermentation.	Used heavily in processed foods, sugary drinks, snacks, and sweets; contributes to overall caloric load.
Consumption Patterns	Integral part of traditional cooking, but overall intake of added sugars is low relative to total energy.	High intake of added sugars, especially from ultra-processed foods, leading to public health concerns among young people.
Flavor Profile	Subtly sweet, contributing to a rich, balanced flavor profile (gamchilmat).	Often intensely sweet, either as a standalone flavor in desserts or hidden within savory items.

The 'Zero-Sugar' Trend in South Korea

In response to growing health consciousness and concerns about excessive sugar intake, a noticeable "zero-sugar" trend has emerged in South Korea. This movement is most prominent in the beverage sector, where many companies now offer zero-calorie, artificially sweetened alternatives to popular sugary drinks like soda and coffee. While this trend provides consumers with options to reduce their caloric and sugar intake, it has also sparked debate over the health implications of artificial sweeteners like aspartame. This shift indicates that while sugar may not be avoided universally, there is a clear public desire for less sugar in the diet, particularly among those focused on weight management. However, a significant portion of the population continues to consume sugar at concerning levels, suggesting that while awareness is rising, behavior change is still evolving. For a deeper look into the societal impacts, one might read the analysis published in The Chosun Daily on the subject.

Conclusion: A Nuanced Perspective on Korean Sugar Intake

The assertion that Koreans avoid sugar is a significant oversimplification. In reality, sugar plays a vital, albeit subtle, role in traditional Korean culinary arts, where it is used to create harmonious and deep flavors. However, modern dietary trends, heavily influenced by urbanization, convenience, and processed foods, have led to a concerning increase in overall sugar consumption, particularly among the younger population. While public health initiatives and a burgeoning "zero-sugar" market reflect a growing awareness of these issues, the reality is a stark contrast between traditional culinary restraint and modern high sugar intake. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding must differentiate between sugar's functional role in traditional cooking and its excessive, and often unnoticed, presence in the contemporary Korean diet.

The Verdict: Do Koreans Avoid Sugar?

The answer to "Do Koreans avoid sugar?" is no, but the context is crucial. Traditional practices utilize it sparingly for flavor balance, while modern habits, especially among youth, involve significant consumption of sugary processed goods, making overall intake a public health concern.

Common misconceptions about Korean sugar consumption include:

Myth: Korean food is inherently low in sugar. Reality: While traditional dishes use it subtly, many popular items, from marinades to instant snacks, contain added sugars.
Myth: All Koreans are sugar-conscious. Reality: Health concerns about sugar are growing, but consumption patterns vary significantly by age and lifestyle.
Myth: The sweetness is always from natural sources. Reality: Modern food processing often replaces or supplements natural sweeteners with refined sugar or corn syrup.

The shift in Korean diet:

Traditionally: Focus on subtle, balanced flavor through minimal use of sugar or natural alternatives.
Modernly: Increased reliance on ultra-processed foods and beverages, leading to higher overall added sugar intake.

The 'Zero-Sugar' trend reflects:

Growing public awareness of health issues linked to excessive sugar consumption.
The beverage industry's response to consumer demand for lower-calorie options, often using artificial sweeteners.

Ultimately, understanding Korean sugar consumption requires acknowledging its dual role in both time-honored culinary traditions and the contemporary challenges of a fast-paced, processed-food culture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Korean food is known for its balance of flavors, including spicy, salty, and savory notes. While sweetness is an integral part of this balance, it is often a subtle background element in traditional dishes, not the main flavor.

Yes, sugar is commonly added to savory dishes like bulgogi, galbi, and various banchan (side dishes) to balance intense flavors like salt and spice. It contributes to the depth of flavor known as gamchilmat.

Not necessarily. Traditional sauces often use small amounts of sugar or natural sweeteners. However, commercially produced sauces, including many variations of gochujang and marinade sauces, may contain higher levels of added sugar.

Increased sugar consumption is linked to a more Westernized diet and a shift toward convenience-driven food culture. The frequent consumption of ultra-processed foods, snacks, and sugar-sweetened beverages has significantly raised overall intake.

Yes, the zero-sugar trend is quite popular, particularly in the beverage industry. Many companies offer products with artificial sweeteners to cater to consumers' health concerns about sugar and calorie intake.

Yes, it is a growing public health concern. While average intake might appear within recommended limits, studies show high consumption among adolescents and young adults, which is linked to rising obesity and metabolic issues.

For home cooking, you can reduce added sugar by substituting natural sweeteners like pear juice, or simply using less sugar than a recipe calls for. Since commercial gochujang often contains sugar, reducing additional sweetener is recommended.