Hundreds wait hours for In-N-Out limited-time pop-up in Korea: reports

(KRON) — In-N-Out mania has officially gone global. The craze for the popular California-based burger joint has made its way to South Korea.

Hundreds of people waited in line last Wednesday in Seoul for In-N-Out’s limited-time pop-up, multiple Korean news outlets report.

The pop-up was held on Oct. 15 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Gangnam District of Seoul, according to Korea JoongAng Daily. Approximately 500 burgers were sold, and the first customer in line arrived at 3 a.m. outside the Schedule Cheongdam, the restaurant where the pop-up was held.

It was reportedly on a first-come, first-served basis. The pop-up was announced only a day in advance, but that didn’t stop a large crowd from planning their day to get a taste of the American burger phenomenon.

Photos posted by Korea JoongAng Daily show the inside of the restaurant had displays of the menu found inside a typical In-N-Out. Even the workers were dressed in the signature uniform and hat combination.

Prices are fairly close to what one would normally see in California. According to photos taken at the pop-up, a Double-Double costs 8,500 won, which equals to roughly $6. A cheeseburger was priced at 6,500 won (~$4.50) and 5,000 won for a hamburger (~$3.50).

Here’s an Instagram post showing the line last week that went around the block. According to The Asia Business Daily, by around 10 a.m., entry for the 500-person limit had already closed.

This isn’t the first time In-N-Out has had a pop-up in Korea.

According to The Korea Herald, hundreds of people were in line for an In-N-Out pop-up in 2023, which sold out all 500 of its wristbands for entry. The outlet reports that there was also a pop-up in Seoul four years earlier in 2019.

The Korea JoongAng Daily reported that this is the fifth time In-N-Out has done a pop-up in the country.

Korea’s craze for In-N-Out likely has to do with K-pop idols trying the California-based burger joint when they tour the West Coast. Girl group IVE was spotted eating In-N-Out burgers. A member of Stray Kids namedropped the burger chain while on stage.

There are no In-N-Out locations outside of the United States.

KRON4 asked In-N-Out if it plans to open a future location in Korea. We did not hear back in time for publication.

In-N-Out opened its first restaurant in Baldwin Park, Calif. back in 1948. It has since become one of, if not, the most popular fast food burger chain in California and the West Coast — spanning as far east as Texas.