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PGA Tour’s The CJ Cup: Local Fans Embrace K-Food and K-Lifestyle
Bibigo Chefs’ Signature Dishes and Booming K-Bakeries Signal CJ’s Accelerated North America Push
Visitors to the golf course in McKinney, Texas, were won over by Korean flavors and lifestyle. At TPC Craig Ranch, which hosted the PGA Tour’s The CJ Cup Byron Nelson for four days beginning on the 21st (local time), the K-food activations produced as much excitement as the tournament itself. CJ CheilJedang and CJ Foodville used the event as a strategic foothold in North America and succeeded in embedding Korean food culture into locals’ everyday lives rather than merely showcasing products.
On the 26th, CJ Group said the integrated brand experience, House of CJ, and the concession booths spread across the course became nonstop destinations for food lovers throughout the event.
CJ CheilJedang’s Bibigo leaned on its established global brand to deliver an elevated culinary program. Domestic and international chefs transformed Bibigo products into dishes that transcended their packaged forms, engaging visitors’ senses.
The showcase culminated at Bibigo’s concession at the 7th hole. Culinary stars from popular cooking shows, a Michelin-starred New York chef and veteran American cooks helped illustrate Bibigo’s potential. Chef Yoo Yong-wook served a kimchi samgyeopsal taco that used the familiar taco format to introduce the fermented nuances of Korean cuisine. Chef Park Jung-hyun reinterpreted a soba-inspired chicken dish, while Chef Beau McMillan offered dumplings seasoned with gochujang, underscoring K-food’s versatility. Cocktails featuring jari, a premium distilled spirit due later this year, rounded out the pairings and highlighted how Korean flavors can be paired with spirits.
CJ Foodville’s Tous Les Jours demonstrated the strength of K-bakery. Under the slogan A Festival of Everyday Life, the brand focused on hands-on experiences designed for local audiences. A large sculpture modeled on its U.S. flagship cloud cake became a social media photo magnet, and a surprise birthday event for May celebrants helped build a warm brand image. Local attendees praised the soft textures of Korean bakery staples like red-bean buns and cream buns, saying the experience \”completely changed their perception of bread.\”
The activations went beyond eating to share social values and cultural entertainment. CJ CheilJedang introduced cups and straws made from PHA, an eco-friendly material, to promote sustainability to eventgoers. A photo zone in front of a giant MANDU sculpture and a Korean-speaking TikTok challenge drew enthusiastic participation from younger visitors, helping cement K-food as a form of playful cultural engagement. At CJ Foodville’s separately operated Durumi concession, snack items tailored to global tastes—such as Korean fried chicken bites and hot dogs—sold out early and proved highly popular.
\”I came back this year after visiting last year, and the food quality and activities are even richer,\” said attendee Isabel Benait. \”The combination of Korean dishes and cocktails made with Korean distilled spirits felt especially fresh and appealing.\”
The strong U.S. response to K-food is likely to provide momentum as CJ Group’s food affiliates expand their North American footprint. CJ Group Chairman Lee Jae-hyun visited the tournament and urged broad global expansion. \”We must develop The CJ Cup beyond a golf event into a platform where Americans can directly experience and enjoy K-lifestyle,\” he said. \”Through that platform, the group should rapidly broaden its global business footprint and help young Koreans pursue their ambitions on the world stage.\”
A CJ CheilJedang spokesperson said, \”We will continue to deliver distinctive culinary experiences through Bibigo and keep spreading the value of K-food and Korean food culture.\” A CJ Foodville representative added, \”We will use the strong interest in K-bakery confirmed at The CJ Cup as a springboard to solidify our influence as a leading bakery brand in the North American market.\”
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