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Israeli-Korean community's communication through group purchases
Country
Israel
Date
2022.12.07

The Israeli-Korean community’s group purchases are becoming a way of communication for Koreans living in Israel. It’s hard to find Asian groceries in Israel, making Korean food harder to find. On top of that, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and the suspension of flights made it harder for Koreans in Israel to acquire Korean food and products. That was why several Koreans opened up a group purchase community in June 2020 to sell or share items that weren’t in use and make group purchases of Korean food and ingredients in the few Asian groceries at affordable prices. Around 200 Koreans have subscribed to the group after its establishment, and it is being used as a platform for free sharing events and rummage sales.


Jewish customer shopping for Korean ramyeon at an Asian supermarket in Tel Aviv

Jewish customer shopping for Korean ramyeon at an Asian supermarket in Tel Aviv



Finding various Korean food products in Asian supermarkets isn’t a tough job, but things were different just five years ago. The current state has been made possible through the rise of group purchases from Koreans and the popularity of Korean culture. Before that, Chinese food was the majority with the Korean products only being a few, including gochujang and soy sauce. But now, various Korean ingredients can be found in supermarkets, such as rice cakes for tteokbokki and pepper powder. There were only two types of Korean noodles, but now there are 20.


According to an Asian market store owner in Tel Aviv, the sales of Korean food rose by 400%, and the owner stated that more Korean ingredients are being considered for import due to customer demand. Also, the owner showed the list of Korean food products available for import to Korean residents and asked their advice on Korean food that locals might like. Such incidents couldn’t make the Koreans in Israel happier.


Fresh Asian cabbages grown directly in a local Israeli kibbutz community

Fresh Asian cabbages grown directly in a local Israeli kibbutz community



One of the Israeli Korean is running a group purchase of Asian cabbages grown directly in the local Israeli community of kibbutz (Israel’s group farming community) by using the platform. It used to be hard for Koreans to find grocery stores that sold Asian cabbages, but now they can use the group purchase community to easily find their way to the vegetable. Kimchi, a food that has been exposed many times in Korean Wave content, is also popular among Jews who follow the Kosher (food ingredients and recipes according to the Jewish commandments).


Bazaar to aid victims of the war in Ukraine

Bazaar to aid victims of the war in Ukraine



Asenath, a Jew who participated in the sale, is choosing an item to sell.

Asenath, a Jew who participated in the sale, is choosing an item to sell.



The group purchase community of Koreans holds a bazaar every year. This year’s sale was planned to be a special one to aid Ukrainian refugees who came to Israel. Donated items, baked eggs, tteokbokki, mill tteokbokki, and various other food have been prepared in the bazaar. Jews have also participated in the event, and the sale gathered 5,000 shekels (around 1.9 million Korean won) as profit. Asenath, who participated in the rummage sale, said, “it felt great to taste delicious Korean food, and I was amazed to find that Koreans took the initiative in helping out Ukrainians in Israel.”


The profit from the rummage sale was delivered to the organization that is helping out Ukrainian refugees.

The profit from the rummage sale was delivered to the organization that is helping out Ukrainian refugees.



The profit and additional donation were delivered to the organization aiding the Ukrainian refugees in Ashkelon, a southern city in Israel. The organization provided food and drinks that the refugees needed, and is currently planning a tour of Israel for them. The Korean community is planning to continue the rummage sale to aid Israel locals and those in need.


The community is also serving as a platform for Koreans to learn useful information that they couldn’t get from locals due to their language barriers. Hwang Young-shin, a member of the community’s board, stated, “I hope the community serves the role of spreading good influence to Israel locals as well as filling the needs of Koreans here.”




Overseas Korean correspondent