Cheese is made primarily from the fermentation of dairy products such as cow’s milk, sheep’s milk, or goat’s milk. It has been a popular food for thousands of years and is available in a wide variety of flavors and types worldwide. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Standards Codex defines cheese as a product made by coagulating, heating, and concentrating milk or dairy products with the addition of lactic acid bacteria, rennet (a protein-hydrolyzing enzyme that solidifies milk), organic acids, and other ingredients. There are two main categories of cheese: natural cheese, which is made by adding minimal ingredients like lactic acid bacteria and organic acids to milk and allowing it to age and ferment without heating, and processed cheese, which is made by adding other ingredients and materials to natural cheese.

In the 1960s, Imsil Cheese made history by becoming the first company in Korea to successfully produce cheese, launching the country’s cheese market. Since that time, a variety of cheeses have been imported and introduced to consumers. As Korean consumers’ tastes have become more Westernized and health-conscious trends have gained traction, cheese consumption has expanded, leading to an increase in domestic cheese processing companies. In 2022, the domestic cheese production value reached KRW 759.2 billion, reflecting a 13.1% increase from the previous year.

The cheese market is undergoing a transformation to align with evolving consumer preferences. In addition to traditional processed sliced cheese, premium cheeses such as fresh mozzarella, grilling cheese, ricotta, cream cheese, and string cheese are being introduced and are gaining popularity. Notable domestic cheese products include Imsil Cheese’s “Grilling Cheese” and “Smoked Cheese,” Yonsei Milk’s “100% Natural String Cheese,” and Sangha Cheese’s fresh ricotta made from domestic milk. Recently, small-scale premium cheeses produced at local farms have also entered the market, such as “Mascarpone Cheese” from Youngjun Farm and “Organic Fresh Mozzarella” from Jeju St. Isidore Farm.
In light of these trends, the Korean cheese market is poised to become more diverse and premium-focused, seamlessly integrating into the broader landscape of Korean cuisine. The growing trend of incorporating cheese into a variety of dishes suggests that the popularity of cheese in Korea will continue to grow steadily.