Korean restaurant brands are moving beyond individual overseas openings, using master-franchise partnerships, localised menus and multi-unit development to turn the global K-food boom into a scalable franchise opportunity.
Korean food franchises have crossed a new overseas milestone, with the number of outlets operated by K-food franchise brands surpassing 2,500, as Korean restaurant companies increasingly adopt the master-franchise model to accelerate international growth.
The development comes as Korean food brands expand into new territories against the backdrop of the global K-wave, growing consumer interest in Korean cuisine and tougher competition in their home market.
The latest milestone also forms part of a much larger international footprint. South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) reported that Korean food-service companies were operating 4,644 outlets across 56 countries at the end of 2025, up from 3,722 outlets in 2020.
The distinction is important: the 2,500-plus figure represents the franchise portion of the overseas K-food network, while the 4,644 figure covers Korean food-service companies more broadly.
Overseas Expansion Is Becoming a Franchise Story
Korean food brands are increasingly moving away from the traditional approach of establishing a small number of company-owned restaurants in each new country.
Instead, franchisors are signing master-franchise agreements with local partners, allowing those operators to develop the brand across a defined territory.
Under the model, the local master franchisee typically takes responsibility for investment, site selection, restaurant development, staffing and local execution. The Korean franchisor provides the brand, recipes, operating systems, training, marketing support and quality standards.
The approach gives Korean brands a faster route into markets where local knowledge, real estate relationships and regulatory expertise can be critical.
The latest government data reinforces how central franchising has become to the overseas strategy. The number of Korean food-service companies operating overseas has expanded into dozens of countries, while the total number of outlets has continued to rise even as the number of individual companies and brands has fluctuated.
K-Food’s Overseas Network Has Recovered Strongly
The growth represents a significant recovery from the pandemic period.
According to MAFRA’s 2025 survey, the number of overseas outlets increased from 3,722 in 2020 to 4,644 in 2025, representing growth of approximately 24.8%.
The United States accounted for the largest share of overseas outlets at 23.8%, followed by China at 17.9%, Vietnam at 13.7%, the Philippines at 6.3% and Thailand at 5%.
MAFRA said the growth was being driven particularly by Korean fried chicken, Korean bakery concepts and Korean cuisine, with K-chicken accounting for 39% of the overseas network, K-bakery 26% and Korean cuisine 12%.
The U.S. has become particularly important for Korean franchise companies, with large brands using franchising to build networks rather than relying exclusively on corporate-owned restaurants.
Genesis BBQ Takes Master Franchise Model to India
One of the clearest recent examples is Genesis BBQ, the South Korean fried-chicken group behind bbq Chicken.
The company officially entered India in June 2026, opening two restaurants simultaneously in Bengaluru on June 26. The HSR Layout and Koramangala restaurants were launched through a master-franchise agreement with a local Indian partner.
The move gives Genesis BBQ a platform from which to develop the brand across southern India, with Hyderabad, Chennai and Vellore among the next targeted markets.
The India strategy had already been outlined before the launch. Genesis BBQ’s partner, SrikG Group, said the first phase would involve seven stores across South India, with a longer-term target of 30 stores by 2027 and 150 by 2031. The group also planned significant capital deployment as it develops the network.
Genesis BBQ Chairman Yoon Hong-geun described India as a major strategic growth market. “India is the most important growth market in the entire globe right now,” Yoon said. He pointed to India’s young population and its potential to become one of the world’s most influential consumer markets over the next decade.
Localization Becomes Central to Franchise Expansion
The India launch also demonstrates another feature of the new K-food expansion strategy: localisation without abandoning the Korean identity of the brand.
Genesis BBQ has adapted its offering for Indian consumers, including halal-certified chicken and stronger vegetarian options. Its Indian restaurants also serve Korean favourites such as tteokbokki and kimchi fried rice alongside the core chicken menu.
The company plans to initially source batter and sauces through its Asia-Pacific halal supply infrastructure, while considering local production as the Indian operation scales. Around 20% of the menu was expected to be localised for Indian tastes while retaining the core Korean flavour profile.
That balance could become increasingly important as Korean franchise brands enter markets with very different dietary preferences, price points and eating habits.
Mom’s Touch Targets 100 Stores Across 10 Countries
Genesis BBQ is not alone in using master franchising to accelerate international growth.
Mom’s Touch, one of South Korea’s major burger and chicken QSR brands, has been expanding through master-franchise partnerships across Asia.
The company entered Laos through a master-franchise arrangement with Korea-linked Kolao Group and has also signed a master-franchise agreement for Uzbekistan. The company has been targeting 100 stores across 10 countries as part of its international expansion strategy.
The strategy is already contributing to the company’s financial performance. Mom’s Touch reported 479 billion won in 2025 revenue, up 14.6%, while operating profit rose 22.2% to 89.7 billion won. Overseas sales increased 70.6%, while royalty income rose 73%.
A company official previously said: “Buoyed by positive responses from local consumers, we plan to open a second store in a key commercial district in Vientiane next month.”
Why Master Franchising Works for Korean Brands
For Korean franchisors, the master-franchise structure offers a way to expand internationally without carrying the full capital and operational burden of developing every restaurant themselves. The local partner can provide:
- Territory-level investment
- Local real estate and site-selection expertise
- Recruitment and staffing
- Local regulatory knowledge
- Supply-chain development
- Multi-unit restaurant development
- Local marketing and customer acquisition
For the franchisor, the model can generate revenue through master-franchise fees, royalties, product and ingredient supply, training and other franchise services.
More importantly, it can convert a successful restaurant concept into a territory-wide development platform.
That distinction is becoming increasingly important in K-food franchising. Rather than negotiating one restaurant at a time, Korean brands can partner with a master franchisee capable of opening multiple locations and, in some cases, recruiting additional franchise operators.
BBQ Is Also Using the Model in China
Genesis BBQ’s master-franchise strategy is not limited to emerging markets.
The company has also been rebuilding its presence in China after previously scaling back its operations. In 2025, it signed master-franchise agreements with partners in major Chinese cities including Beijing, Qingdao, Jinan, Shenzhen, Xiamen, Wuhan, Xi’an and Chengdu.
The company subsequently reopened more than 50 stores in China during 2026, according to reports.
The Chinese expansion illustrates why the master-franchise structure can be attractive even in mature or highly competitive markets: local partners can take on market-level execution while the Korean brand provides the operating platform and brand equity.
K-Wave Turns Cultural Recognition Into Franchise Demand
The expansion is being supported by something that many international franchise systems cannot easily manufacture, ie existing cultural recognition.
K-pop, Korean dramas and other Korean entertainment have helped introduce consumers to Korean food, creating awareness before the brands even enter many markets.
MAFRA has explicitly linked the overseas growth of Korean food-service companies with the Korean Wave, noting that Korean brands are moving beyond simple market entry and achieving sales and store growth overseas.
The Korean government has also been increasing support for overseas K-food expansion, including market-development initiatives designed to connect Korean food companies with international buyers and partners.
For franchisors, that creates a potentially powerful sequence: K-content creates awareness, K-food creates trial, and franchising creates local scale.
The U.S. Remains the Biggest Overseas Market
The United States remains the largest destination for Korean food-service brands.
MAFRA’s 2025 survey found that the U.S. accounted for 23.8% of all overseas outlets, making it the largest single international market for Korean food-service companies. China represented 17.9%, Vietnam 13.7%, the Philippines 6.3% and Thailand 5%.
The strength of the U.S. market is particularly significant for Korean franchises because it provides a large consumer base, established Asian-food demand and an existing infrastructure for franchise development.
Fried chicken has been one of the strongest categories, with brands such as Genesis BBQ and other Korean chicken concepts building international recognition around a format that can be adapted relatively easily across markets.
From Korean Restaurants to Global Franchise Systems
The latest overseas numbers point to a broader change in the Korean franchise industry.
Korean food brands are no longer simply exporting restaurants. Increasingly, they are exporting franchise systems.
The difference is significant. A restaurant opening establishes a presence. A master-franchise agreement establishes a development platform.
That platform can support multiple stores, additional franchisees, local supply chains and territory-wide marketing while allowing the Korean franchisor to retain control over the core brand proposition.
The latest 2,500-plus overseas franchise-store milestone therefore comes at a pivotal point for K-food.
With the broader Korean food-service network already reaching 4,644 outlets across 56 countries, and brands such as Genesis BBQ and Mom’s Touch aggressively pursuing master-franchise expansion, international franchising is becoming one of the most important growth engines for Korean restaurant companies.
The next stage of the K-food boom may therefore be less about how many Korean restaurants open overseas, and more about how many franchise territories Korean brands can build.
As master franchisees take on greater responsibility for investment and local development, Korean franchisors have an opportunity to turn global appetite for K-food into long-term, multi-unit franchise networks across Asia, North America, Europe and emerging markets.
