A Korean food brand built with BTS is using early momentum in the U.S. to expand into Japan, testing whether the global reach of K-pop can help turn a fan-driven product launch into a lasting consumer business.
ARIH, a food and beverage brand developed by South Korean food companies Paldo and hy in collaboration with BTS from the planning stage, launched first at Walmart in the U.S. in April. The companies then brought the brand to South Korea before preparing for expansion into other major markets, including Japan and Canada.
The strategy represents a different approach to exporting Korean food. Rather than proving a product in South Korea and then adapting it for foreign consumers, Paldo and hy are using overseas markets as an early testing ground for a brand designed from the beginning for global consumers.
The U.S. launch was particularly important. Walmart gave ARIH access to one of the world’s largest retail networks, while BTS provided a level of global recognition that would be difficult for a new Korean food brand to build on its own. ARIH was reported to have become a bestseller on Walmart shortly after its launch, providing an early indication that interest in Korean food could translate into demand for a new brand.
That combination—mainstream retail distribution and K-pop-driven awareness—is now being tested in Japan.
ARIH plans to enter Japan through 7-Eleven, giving the brand access to a nationwide convenience-store network and a consumer base accustomed to frequent purchases of ready-to-eat meals, noodles and beverages. The companies also plan a pop-up event in Tokyo designed to introduce the brand directly to Japanese consumers.
Japan presents a different challenge from the U.S. The market is already highly competitive, with consumers accustomed to sophisticated convenience-store food and a wide range of domestic and international noodle brands. For ARIH, success will depend on whether the initial curiosity surrounding BTS can translate into repeat purchases after the novelty fades.
That distinction is becoming increasingly important as Korean food companies attempt to capitalize on the broader Korean cultural boom. K-pop has become a gateway through which consumers encounter Korean beauty, food, entertainment and tourism. The commercial question is whether that attention can move beyond merchandise and events into products that consumers buy as part of their everyday routines.
BTS offers ARIH an unusually powerful marketing engine. The group’s global return to touring in 2026 has already generated significant economic activity in the U.S., with concerts drawing fans into restaurants, cultural events and other Korean-themed businesses. The phenomenon illustrates how K-pop can function as a broader consumer platform rather than simply an entertainment product.
For ARIH, the opportunity is to capture that attention at the point of purchase.
The brand’s product lineup includes modern noodles, postbiotic energy drinks and dual-biotic sodas, reflecting an effort to position Korean food within a broader health and lifestyle category rather than relying solely on traditional Korean flavors. Paldo and hy have said BTS participated in the brand’s planning, including its flavors, packaging and overall identity.
Japan could therefore become a more meaningful test than simply another overseas market. If ARIH can use BTS-related awareness to secure an initial customer base and then retain those consumers through product quality and convenience, Paldo and hy may have a model for expanding the brand without depending entirely on Korean consumers.
The companies are also preparing to expand into Canada and other markets. In Toronto, ARIH is being promoted around BTS’s world tour and the Toronto Korean Festival, combining entertainment-driven exposure with mainstream retail distribution. BTS’s official tour schedule lists Toronto performances for Aug. 22 and 23, underscoring the timing of the campaign.
The broader bet is that K-pop can serve as the entry point, but not the entire business model.
For U.S. investors and global consumer companies, ARIH offers a small but potentially instructive case study. Korean cultural exports have already demonstrated their ability to attract global audiences. The next challenge is converting that cultural influence into repeat purchases of food, beverages, cosmetics and other everyday products.
If ARIH succeeds in Japan after establishing a foothold in the U.S., it could demonstrate that the Korean food industry’s traditional export model is changing. Instead of taking products that have already succeeded at home and selling them abroad, Korean companies may increasingly build brands for global consumers from the outset—and use K-pop stars such as BTS to accelerate the process.
