Kim, a woman in her 40s living in Seoul, has been married for 15 years. She has lived with her husband and three cats for the past six years without children. While raising her cats, she experienced that animals have feelings and share friendship in their own way. She came to realize that animals are "living beings" just like human beings. Seven years ago, she met an American who doesn't eat meat, but got along well with her meat-eating partner. Kim became convinced that a plant-based lifestyle was nutritionally beneficial. Three years ago, she decided to "no longer agree with the way animals are raised for meat" and became a vegan. Her husband then decided to follow in her footsteps. Sometimes Kim chooses a pesco diet when dining with others. Her husband followed her lead and became a pesco-vegetarian for a while, eating no poultry or meat, but now he is primarily a flexitarian, eating mostly vegetarian and occasionally meat. 

Due to growing concern for the environment and health, the number of people following vegetarian and vegan diets, like this couple, is increasing in Korea. Moreover, veganism has become a new food trend. The result is a wide variety of vegan food products and a growth market. About 75% of adults in Korea have lactose intolerance. Therefore, vegan food, which does not contain animal ingredients, is becoming popular not only among vegetarians, but also among non-vegetarians who are interested in healthy eating. The number of vegans in South Korea was around 150,000 in early to mid-2008. By 2018, however, the number had risen to over 1.5 million. Including those who prefer a vegetarian diet, the estimated total could exceed 10 million people.

As a result of the development of various processed foods for vegans, restaurants and franchise coffee shops across the country have begun to offer a variety of vegan foods and beverages. Specialized websites have also sprung up to guide people to these places and introduce them to vegetarianism. One leading company, Chaesik Hankki (One Vegetarian Meal), has created a map of vegetarian restaurants in Korea. Vegetarian options have also been part of the school lunch program. The North Jeolla Province Office of Education, which has been serving vegetarian meals once a week since 2011, has published and distributed a vegetarian guide. In June 2020, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education selected pilot schools to introduce vegetarian options in school meals. In addition, the Korea Agency of Vegan Certification and Services Inc. was established in March 2018 to specialize in the certification of vegan foods. From 2018 to 2021, the number of certified vegan foods in Korea was 612. In 2021, there was a 44% increase, with 286 foods certified compared to the previous year.  

The vegan industry, which is dominated by small and medium-sized businesses and start-ups, is also seeing more participation from large enterprises. New products are being launched in food categories such as frozen meals, ready-to-eat meals, and desserts with a mix of ingredients. As the target audience for vegan products expands, active technology development to improve the taste and texture of meat substitutes is also becoming increasingly common. The growth of the domestic market is also leading to a stronger foundation for overseas expansion. Biomix Tech launched "Better Than Meat", an alternative meat product using plant-based proteins, and obtained U.S. vegan certification and halal certification in 2021. Zikooin Company launched "Unlimeat" in Australia in 2020. Even Korea's iconic processed food, ramyeon, is no exception. Nongshim's "Soon Ramyeon" is a 100% vegetable-based ramyeon that contains no meat ingredients and has been certified by the Vegan Society UK. Ottogi has also developed a vegetarian version of "Jin Ramyun" made entirely from plant-based ingredients.