[Distribution Hot People] The Hot Meeting of Kalguksu Noodles and Kimchi Sauce... Nongshim Kalbimmyun Breaks Bibimmyun Stereotypes

Mayuhyun, Manager of Soup Development Team · Cheonseongin, Deputy Manager of Noodle Development Team

Mayuhyun, Manager of Nongshim Soup Development Team (right), and Cheon Seongin, Assistant Manager of Noodle Development Team.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Seon-ae] Last fall, Mayuhyun, manager of Nongshim's soup development team, and Cheon Seong-in, assistant manager of the noodle development team, received a special mission. They were tasked with developing a new bibim-myeon product that would captivate consumers' taste buds this summer. How could they create a unique product? They first set the slogan, "Break all the common sense about bibim-myeon." Then, they listed all the fixed ideas about bibim-myeon one by one. Two sentences stood out: "Bibim-myeon has thin noodles." "It is mixed with gochujang sauce." They marked these two sentences with an 'X.' This was how the development of Kal-bibim-myeon began.

◆A noodle never seen before... Korea's first kalguksu noodle bibim-myeon= Most bibim-myeon on the market use typical ramen noodles. Assistant Manager Cheon decided to start by changing the shape of the noodles. At that time, what caught his eye was the "kalguksu bibim-myeon," which has been gaining popularity in recent years. It became famous as a summer delicacy introduced by several long-established restaurants and cooking shows.

Cheon said, "I thought that applying kalguksu noodles to bibim-myeon would deliver a more chewy texture and a mouthful of sensation, offering a unique taste," adding, "We started development by leveraging Nongshim's accumulated technology in making various types of noodles."

The main focus was to create noodles that were thick yet absorbed the sauce well. Cheon explained, "If the noodles are too thick, it might feel like the noodles and sauce are separate," and added, "We prioritized the harmony between noodles and sauce in the development process."

The solution was found by making the noodle surface rough. They blended flour varieties with rougher dough surfaces than regular ramen to enhance the noodle surface, i.e., the tiny holes and grooves. While typical ramen noodles have smooth surfaces, Kal-bibim-myeon noodles were made with a somewhat uneven, rough texture so that the sauce would adhere better.

Also, unlike regular soup noodles, bibim-myeon is rinsed in cold water and mixed with sauce, so the noodle texture had to be reset. Cheon recalled, "After rinsing in cold water, noodles tend to harden," and said, "After hundreds of experiments, we found the optimal blend ratio to achieve a chewy texture without hardening."

Mayuhyun, Manager of Nongshim Soup Development Team (right), and Cheon Seongin, Assistant Manager of Noodle Development Team.

◆The harmony of minced kimchi and kalguksu noodles, spicy, tangy, chewy and springy= Manager Ma searched for a new sauce flavor as much as the kalguksu noodles themselves. Most bibim-myeon use gochujang with lemon or fruit to create a sweet and tangy taste. Ma said, "We needed to find a new flavor different from existing bibim-myeon, but familiar to us and well-matched with bibim-myeon."

While reviewing various ingredients, kimchi caught his attention. He got a hint from many consumers eating bibim-myeon topped with kimchi. Also, "kimchi bibim-guksu" has been a popular menu item at many noodle restaurants. Ma visited famous domestic bibim-guksu and kalguksu bibim-myeon restaurants to taste their dishes. There was no bibim-myeon product on the market flavored with kimchi.

Ma chose to finely chop kimchi and use it as a sauce ingredient to bring out the kimchi flavor. The combination of minced kimchi and kalguksu noodles aimed to create an unprecedented unique taste.

The next challenge was to find the right kimchi suitable for making the sauce. He explained, "Since kimchi is made with various ingredients, it took a lot of time to decide which kimchi to choose," adding, "I tasted over 20 types of kimchi and considered factors like ripeness and pH to find the kimchi that delivers the optimal flavor."

Then came the decision on how much kimchi to add to the sauce. Adding too much minced kimchi to intensify the flavor could reduce the sauce's viscosity, while too little might not bring out the kimchi's taste and aroma. To create a sauce with a spicy, tangy flavor and a good viscosity for mixing, they repeatedly experimented by adjusting the ratio of minced kimchi to gochujang, finally creating the current Kal-bibim-myeon sauce.

◆Capturing consumers' taste buds sharply in summer= The 'Kal-bibim-myeon' created by these two has already brought a fresh breeze to the summer ramen market. During a special set sale with online shopping mall 11st on April 8, all 5,000 prepared sets sold out within six hours. After the first sale was successful, a second sale was held, and 3,000 sets were also sold out in a short time.

On Instagram, more than 500 Kal-bibim-myeon tasting reviews have already been posted, showing a hot online response. Consumers who tried Kal-bibim-myeon early said, "Bibim-myeon with kalguksu noodles is innovative," "The noodles are definitely chewy and springy," and "The kimchi sauce is tangy, sweet, and unique, making me crave more," sharing their tasting impressions.

The advertising also pursued differentiation. Nongshim recently released an advertisement for Kal-bibim-myeon featuring model Jung Hyuk. Nongshim explained, "To express Kal-bibim-myeon's image boasting new taste and texture among similar bibim-myeon products, we chose Jung Hyuk, who shows a distinctive character, as the model," adding, "With lively music and Jung Hyuk confidently introducing Kal-bibim-myeon, we aimed to attract the interest of the younger generation."

Manager Ma and Assistant Manager Cheon said, "We hope a product like our own child receives a good response in the market." Their pause was brief. They must create another new product to meet market expectations. When asked what product they are preparing, they responded with a secretive gesture and smile. However, their eyes hinted at the birth of another innovative new product.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.