The 'Ramen King' Who Stirred the World with Korea's Spicy Flavor... Shin Chun-ho Quotes

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Shin Chun-ho, chairman of Nongshim who passed away on the 27th, founded Nongshim in 1965 and led the domestic market by creating the legends of 'Shin Ramyun' and 'Saewookkang'.

Chairman Shin's brand philosophy was firm. When entering the ramen market at the time of founding, he emphasized self-reliance, saying, "You have to stand far yourself to go far. Ramen loved by Koreans must be made by our own hands." He also stressed that Korean ramen should be a staple food different from Japan’s, being inexpensive, suited to Korean tastes, and nutritionally sufficient, prioritizing product development for Koreans above all.

This philosophy held by Chairman Shin not only became the foundation for the growth of the domestic food market but also laid the cornerstone for the global expansion of 'K-Food'.

Below are key statements from Chairman Shin Chun-ho.

▲ “Starting from scratch will be tough for our engineers, but the technology developed by our own hands will remain as our intellectual property.” (During the development of Saewookkang in 1971)

▲ “Product quality is important, but a clear differentiation strategy with a brand that cannot be imitated is crucial.” (After the failure of Jjajang Ramen in 1970, which laid the groundwork for developing 'Chapaghetti')

▲ “I’m not trying to sell ramen using my surname. Since it’s spicy, let’s simply use ‘Maeul 辛’ (spicy).” (When launching Shin Ramyun in 1986)

▲ “We will take the Nongshim brand overseas as it is. We won’t tone down the spicy taste or change the packaging design. Since it is of the highest quality, let’s secure a premium image. We are delivering the authentic taste of Korea to the world.” (Ahead of full-scale overseas exports in the 1990s)

▲ “This is an era where only premium food sells. We must create products that satisfy discerning consumers.” (In 2010, before launching Shin Ramyun Black)

▲ “Looking back, it was really difficult from the start. I wrestled with flour dough and sweated beside a cauldron in midsummer. Since I made it with my own hands and even named it, Nongshim’s ramen and snacks all feel like my own children.” (From Chairman Shin Chun-ho’s book 'A Fighter with Philosophy is Happy')

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