Durian, once a fruit for a narrow group of enthusiasts, is going mainstream in South Korea. Vietnam's durian shipments to Korea jumped 262% from a year earlier, the steepest increase among its major export markets. Demand is climbing quickly even though the fruit remains expensive.
Not a Cheap Fruit, Yet 1,751 Tons Imported
South Korea cleared 1,751 tons of fresh durian for import between January and the end of August, according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's import food information portal on the 1st. All of it came from Thailand.
Over the same period, the country imported 690 tons of mangosteen, 108 tons of lychee and 75 tons of papaya. Durian volumes were about 2.5 times those of mangosteen and more than 16 times those of lychee.
The shift is visible at the point of sale. In the Chinatown district of Daerim-dong in Seoul's Yeongdeungpo Ward, specialty durian shops are drawing more customers, and some convenience stores have set up dedicated durian displays. Outlets are also multiplying in areas with large foreign populations, such as Hwayang-dong in Gwangjin Ward.
Distribution has widened as well. GS25 has sold durian bars, candy and ice cream since 2019, and at one point offered pre-ordered trimmed durian flesh. Thai Monthong durian and frozen pulp are now easy to find on home shopping channels and online malls.
Exports aimed at the Korean market are also rising. Vietnamese data released in May showed durian shipments to Korea surged 262% from a year earlier, the highest growth rate among major destinations. Shipments to the United States rose more than 107%, while those to Australia and Japan gained 40% and 12%, respectively. Under the drug safety ministry's figures, however, all 1,751 tons of fresh durian declared for import in the January-August period originated in Thailand.
Prices are steep. Durian traded at roughly 100,000 to 180,000 won per 9- to 10-kilogram box at major domestic wholesale markets last month, according to KAMIS agricultural distribution data. At Seoul's Garak Market, top-grade fruit fetched 180,000 won on the 28th of last month, while imported 9-kilogram durian went for 120,000 won at Daejeon's Ojeong Market on the 29th. Retail prices averaged about 130,000 to 200,000 won nationwide for 9 to 10 kilograms, with a single piece of roughly 1 kilogram selling for 15,000 to 20,000 won.
The fruit's pungent smell long limited it to a small group of buyers. But more Koreans have encountered durian while traveling abroad, and the expansion of domestic outlets is broadening the customer base.
China Spends 10 Trillion Won a Year, Turning Coffee Fields Into Durian Orchards
China embraced the durian boom well before Korea. China's fresh durian imports reached about $7.5 billion (10.35 trillion won) in 2025, nearly 12 times the 2015 level, according to Agence France-Presse and other outlets on the 31st of last month.
Durian eating shows and reviews have gained traction on social media among young Chinese consumers, while supply competition between Thailand and Vietnam and improved logistics have pushed prices lower, expanding the market rapidly.
Chinese demand is reshaping Vietnam's farm landscape. Durian acreage has expanded more than fivefold over the past decade to about 200,000 hectares, according to Vietnam's agriculture ministry. Even in the Central Highlands, a globally known coffee-growing region, more farmers are planting durian instead of coffee in hopes of higher returns.
After formally entering the Chinese market in 2022, Vietnam ramped up shipments and overtook Thailand last year as China's largest durian supplier by volume. Vietnam's durian export value is projected to grow to $4 billion (5.52 trillion won) this year from $180 million in 2021, with about 90% of that headed to China.
Popularity Grows, but Pesticide Residues Persist: 53 Tons Failed Inspection This Year
Safety and quality control remain unresolved challenges as demand expands. Of the fresh durian declared for import from January through August, 53 tons failed inspection, the drug safety ministry said. That amounted to about $160,000 (220 million won).
Most failures stemmed from pesticide residues exceeding permitted limits. Durian rejected in June by the ministry's Gyeongin Regional Office of Food and Drug Safety tested above the threshold for several pesticide compounds, including lufenuron, chlorantraniliprole and profenofos.
Producing countries are also wary of quality deterioration and oversupply from the rapid expansion of cultivation. Vietnam's government issued a formal warning to farmers about those risks last month. Tighter Chinese quarantine checks have already disrupted shipments in cases where contaminants such as cadmium and auramine O were detected.
Some farmers who moved into durian have returned to coffee. One farmer in Vietnam's Dak Lak province replaced all of his coffee trees with durian, then went back to coffee two years later, saying the required quality was too difficult to meet. "I failed. I will never go back to durian," the farmer told AFP.
