"Catch the Buldak Bokkeummyeon"... The Spicy Ramen War

Samyang Foods Strengthens Buldak Bokkeummyeon Lineup with 'Buldak Jjamppong'
Paldo Chases with Cup Noodle 'King Ttukgyeong'

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Eun-mo] As summer approaches, the battle for the ‘spicy ramen’ market is heating up. Companies are fiercely competing to surpass the absolute powerhouse ‘Buldak Bokkeummyeon.’ They are focusing on boosting product sales through new product launches, lineup expansions, and strengthened marketing efforts.

According to the industry on the 25th, the leading player in the spicy ramen market is Samyang Foods. Samyang Foods’ Buldak Bokkeummyeon sales increased from 340 billion KRW in 2019 to 410 billion KRW in 2020, and further grew to 440 billion KRW last year. The proportion of Buldak Bokkeummyeon in total sales has also steadily increased, rising from 63% in 2019 to 69% last year. It is no exaggeration to say that the spicy flavor is driving the company. Riding this momentum, Samyang Foods launched a new product, ‘Buldak Jjambbong,’ on the 21st. Buldak Jjambbong is the only soup-based ramen product in the Buldak Bokkeummyeon lineup, released to diversify the lineup which has been centered on stir-fried noodles.

Samyang Foods 'Buldak Jjamppong'

Paldo is also actively targeting the spicy ramen market by expanding the lineup of its spicy brand ‘Teumsae Ramen.’ Following the launch of ‘Spicy Jjajang’ and ‘Spicy Curry’ Teumsae Ramen last month, Paldo released the cup ramen ‘King Ttukguk’ this month. King Ttukguk is about three times spicier than the existing ‘Wang Ttukguk’ and sold over 3 million units within two months of its limited edition release. Teumsae Ramen has also maintained steady popularity, recording a 27% sales growth in 2019 compared to the previous year, followed by 61% growth in 2020, and 5% growth last year.

Nongshim recently introduced ‘Shinbokgetti,’ which combines the spicy ramen icon ‘Shin Ramyun’ with Chapagetti.

The popularity of spicy ramen is also proven by sales figures at large supermarkets. According to Emart, sales of spicy ramen products increased by 17% as of the 21st this year compared to the same period last year. Spicy ramen has shown an upward trend every year, growing 21% in 2020 compared to the previous year, and 7% last year.

With the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic increasing demand for home meals and a steady rise in consumers seeking to relieve stress with intense spiciness, the popularity of spicy ramen is expected to continue. An industry insider said, “More consumers are seeking stimulating and strong flavors when stressed,” adding, “The industry is responding to customer demand by releasing a variety of products with maximized spiciness.”

The industry expects that the popularity of spicy ramen, which was once limited to a niche group of enthusiasts, will continue steadily as it has become a cultural phenomenon. An industry insider explained, “Spicy ramen is evolving beyond simple ‘mukbang’ on various social media platforms into ‘challenge’ formats,” and “Consumers who experience such content voluntarily purchase the products, establishing a virtuous cycle of viral marketing.”

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