Living in LA, there are times when it feels like food is becoming increasingly scarce. Lately, I feel like seaweed is getting harder to find.

In the past, when my mom would ask what to bring when she came to the U.S., I would mention cosmetics or clothes, but these days, I find myself saying without hesitation, "Please bring some seaweed." It makes me wonder if seaweed has become something I need to ask for.

Not long ago, I went to a Korean market and was taken aback by the price of seaweed. Just a few years ago, I would toss it into my cart without a second thought, but now it seems like a price that makes you think twice.

Thinking back, I remember about ten years ago, I could always grab a bag of seaweed snacks on sale for $1.99.

It was a price that didn't feel burdensome, even if I grabbed a few. But now, it seems to have more than doubled.

While I could just say, "It's gone up a bit," the feeling when shopping is completely different. Now, seaweed has become a side dish that I have to consider the price of.

So, when I called my mom and said, "Please pack some seaweed," she agreed with me.

She mentioned that seaweed prices have also risen in Korea and that it's not the same as before.

Thinking about why seaweed has become so expensive lately, it seems that overseas demand has significantly increased.

In the past, foreigners would find seaweed strange, thinking it was like eating paper, but now they enjoy it as a low-calorie snack.

So, when I go to American grocery stores and see seaweed for sale, I realize how much things have changed.

It seems that the popularity of kimbap is also contributing to this. I've heard that frozen kimbap is popular in the U.S., and there have been times when it was sold out, which surprised me.

So, naturally, the demand for seaweed continues to rise.

It's no longer just something we eat; it has become a food that people all over the world are seeking.

The problem is that while demand has increased, supply hasn't kept pace.

Seaweed is grown in the ocean, so it is heavily affected by environmental factors. As ocean temperatures rise and weather changes, production is bound to decrease. So, it's only natural that prices go up when more people are looking for it, but production isn't what it used to be.

Another thing I've noticed is that good things eventually get recognized worldwide.

What used to feel like a home-cooked dish has now become branded as "K-Food."

To be honest, I still feel that "it was better when only we ate it" resonates more with me.

Wrapping rice in seaweed, adding a little sesame oil, and mixing it up—those small memories make it feel even more special.

So these days, I find myself valuing even a single sheet of seaweed more than before.

I don't think the price of seaweed will drop easily anytime soon. Demand continues to rise, and production is affected by environmental factors.

It may seem trivial, but seeing these changes makes me realize how much the world has truly changed.