Frozen foods are processed, prepared, or cooked before being preserved for an extended period of time by freezing and storage in containers or packages. This definition includes items that are consumed without heating and those that require heating prior to consumption. Non-heated frozen foods include frozen rice cakes, fish cakes and garlic, while heated options include dumplings and pizza.
Growing demand for convenience foods and advances in rapid freezing and thawing technologies have led to the introduction of a variety of frozen food products, resulting in continuous market growth. As of 2021, the scale of frozen food production in Korea reached KRW 3.449 trillion, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of 8.1% since 2017. In the frozen dumpling market, an important segment of frozen food, the market share among manufacturers was led by CJ CheilJedang (47.5%), Haitai Confectionery & Foods (15.2%), and Pulmuone Foods (12.7%) based on retail sales in 2022. CJ CheilJedang maintains its top position by promptly releasing food products in line with market trends.

The trend in the frozen dumpling market revolves around products that reflect the preferences of leading consumer groups, Millennials and Gen Z, emphasizing fun and distinctive features. GS25 collaborated with Cookat to launch frozen dumplings (ㅋㅋ Dumplings) with 25% more pork content, improving succulence and affordability. It became the top-selling product in the frozen dumpling category (as of February 2023) within a month of its launch. Seven Eleven introduced premium handmade dumplings (Seoul Dumplings), which gained immense popularity after being launched in frozen form in June 2021, selling approximately 250,000 units by May 2022. In addition to frozen dumplings, frozen desserts have diversified into side dishes and snacks, offering various frozen products. Products such as Pulmuone's Sweet Cinnamon Hotteok, CJ CheilJedang's Gourmet Potato Cheese Corndog and Daerim's Traditional Fish Shaped Bun cater to the tastes of different generations and provide convenient snacks that can be quickly heated.

In 2022, frozen food exports totaled USD 48.848 million, an increase of 7.8% over the previous year. This was driven by improved quality and growing interest in Korean-style frozen food. In particular, exports of Korean corn dogs increased by 162.7% year on year after their introduction in the United States, Europe, Asia, and other regions sparked consumer curiosity. With the diversification of taste, packaging and ingredients, the frozen food market is expected to witness various product innovations.