Koriken Raises ₹4 Cr Seed Round from Rukam Capital as Korean Cuisine Wave Sweeps India

In India’s ever-evolving food landscape—where every few years a new flavour trend captures the imagination of young diners—Korean cuisine has emerged as the latest cultural force. What began with K-dramas and K-pop has now travelled from screens to street corners, with Korean fried chicken, spicy ramen and crispy mandu finding loyal fans across metros and beyond. Sitting at the centre of this fast-rising wave is Koriken, a next-gen Korean QSR bringing Seoul’s street-food energy to India’s bustling urban appetite.

And today, the fast-growing brand has received a major boost.

Koriken has raised ₹4 crore in a seed funding round from Rukam Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm known for backing promising consumer brands. The investment marks a big stepping stone for the young QSR as it gears up to scale aggressively, innovate its menu, and deepen its presence across India’s rapidly expanding quick-service restaurant market.

Building a Category-Defining Korean QSR for India

Founded by Hasan Patel, Koriken was built on a simple insight: Indian consumers—especially Gen Z and millennials—are hungry for global flavours that feel fresh, exciting, and culturally connected. What started as curiosity around Korean pop culture has quickly transformed into a nationwide culinary demand.

With this new infusion of capital, Koriken plans to expand its flagship and high-street outlets across key cities, enhance product innovation, and amplify its brand presence. A significant part of the investment will also go into strengthening operational capabilities—from scaling kitchen systems to upgrading delivery efficiency—ensuring that every dish maintains authenticity and consistency at speed.

“We are on a mission to make Korean street food a mainstream dining choice in India,” says Hasan Patel, Founder and CEO of Koriken. “India’s young population is actively seeking new flavours and experiences, and this gives us a huge opportunity to build a category-defining brand. Our focus remains on consistency, affordability, and innovation while staying rooted in the essence of Korean food culture.”

Why Rukam Capital Is Betting on Korean Flavours

For Rukam Capital, Koriken’s rise is not just about food—it’s about cultural momentum and timing. The Korean food market in India is expanding faster than ever. As per internal industry patterns reflected by food delivery platforms, orders for Korean cuisine have jumped by almost 50% year-on-year. More interestingly, Gen Z now accounts for over 25% of all Korean food orders.

These trends aren’t limited to metros alone. Tier-2 cities like Surat, Thiruvananthapuram, Vadodara, Mysuru, and Mangaluru are emerging as new hotspots for Korean dishes.

“We see a tremendous opportunity to build a category-defining brand as India embraces global flavours,” says Archana Jahagirdar, Founder & Managing Partner at Rukam Capital. “The intersection of India’s fast-growing QSR industry and the cultural momentum of Korea creates the perfect environment for a long-term, high-growth play. Koriken has everything it takes to make Korean cuisine a part of everyday dining in India.”

This partnership reflects Rukam Capital’s broader thesis—investing in early-stage consumer brands that redefine experiences and set new standards in product quality and innovation.

The Menu That’s Winning India Over

Koriken’s dishes pay homage to Korea’s bustling street-food markets—crispy Korean fried chicken glazed in bold sauces, steaming bowls of ramen, tender mandu dumplings, and more. The brand aims to create a QSR model that is fast, reliable, affordable, and deeply flavour-focused, blending Korea’s rich culinary culture with India’s love for spice, warmth, and hearty meals.

With the new investment, Koriken is expected to expand not just in physical footprint but also in culinary depth—introducing more Korean staples, experimenting with fusion formats, and making these flavours more accessible to Indian palates.

Riding the Korean Wave in India

The timing couldn’t be better. Korean culture has taken over Indian screens, wardrobes, beauty shelves—and now, plates. From K-dramas to K-pop to kimchi, the nation’s curiosity has turned into strong consumption behaviour. Delivery platforms also report a 59% surge in demand for Korean restaurants and QSRs, with the trend spreading faster than most global cuisine categories.

Korean food is no longer an exotic niche. It’s becoming a part of India’s everyday dining conversations.

With fresh capital, a clear expansion vision, and a strong cultural tailwind, Koriken is positioning itself as one of the most promising players in India’s global QSR space. The brand aims to make Korean cuisine as familiar and loved as pizza, burgers, and biryani—an ambitious goal, but one that seems well within reach.

Koriken and Rukam Capital together intend to build not just a restaurant chain, but a long-lasting food experience that becomes synonymous with the Korean wave in India.

As the QSR market continues to explode and Indian consumers seek new global flavours, Koriken could very well be the brand that defines the Korean dining experience for the next generation.

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