January 28, 2026
SEOUL – A hot, steaming bowl of rice was long considered a staple of the Korean meal. There is even a term, “bapsim,” referring to the belief that strength comes from eating cooked rice. That, however, is becoming a thing of the past.
Last year, Koreans consumed an average of 147.7 grams of rice per person per day, down 3.4 percent, or 5.2 grams, from the previous year, according to the “2025 Grain Consumption Survey,” released by the Ministry of Data and Statistics on Thursday.
Given that a standard bowl of rice contains about 150 grams of uncooked grains, the figure suggests that Koreans now consume less than one bowl of rice a day on average.
“Rising single-person households that prepared meals or instant foods along with increased consumption of alternatives like bread have contributed to the drop in rice consumption,” an official said.
The country’s rice consumption has steadily declined since 1980, mainly due to changes in diet and eating habits.
Last year’s per capita annual rice consumption fell to 53.9 kilograms. The figure had more than halved compared with 30 years ago, when the amount stood at 116.3 kg, data showed.
But amid growing preference for healthier diets, per capita annual consumption of mixed grains remained unchanged at 8.6 kilograms from a year earlier.
While household rice consumption declined, demand for rice used in processed foods such as instant rice and rice cakes increased. Rice consumption by businesses totaled 932,012 metric tons last year, up 6.7 percent, or 58,739 tons, from the prior year.
Rice prices have also stayed high despite declining consumption.
The average retail price of rice stood at 58,872 won ($40) per 20 kilograms last year, up 10 percent from 53,512 won a year earlier, according to data compiled by the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp.