"What Is This? It's So Cute" Japanese Women in Their Teens and Twenties Flock to Korean Ramyun... Long Lines for Tastings [Forty-Year-Old Shin Ramyun]

Nongshim Store at Fuji-Q Highland Theme Park

Featuring Shin Ramyun Tantanmen, Onsentama Tomba, and More

Nongshim Targets Japanese Market with Neoguri and Tomba, Following Shin Ramyun

Tasting is taking place at the Nongshim Neoguri booth at the '2026 Korea Expo Tokyo' held at the Sunshine City Convention Center in Ikebukuro, Tokyo.

Fuji-Q Highland is located at the northern base of Mount Fuji, the highest mountain in Japan. When visiting on the 16th, visitors could enjoy dishes such as Tantanmen made with Shin Ramyun, Onsentama Tomba (hot spring egg Tomba) based on Shin Ramyun Tomba, and Seafood Neoguri using the mild-flavored Neoguri as a base.

The Tantanmen had about half the broth of regular ramen and was about twice as spicy as Shin Ramyun, offering a unique flavor due to the addition of mala sauce. The Onsentama Tomba is meant to be mixed with egg, providing a rich harmony between the chewy noodles and creamy sauce that maximized the flavor. For the Seafood Neoguri, thickly sliced squid was added to the mild Neoguri and boiled together, resulting in a refreshing broth that stood out for its taste.

Located in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, Fuji-Q Highland is an amusement park that attracts as many as 2 million visitors annually. It is especially popular among young people who enjoy roller coasters and horror attractions. Since last month, Nongshim has been selling collaborative menu items using Shin Ramyun and other products at the food court here for two months.

Since the Nongshim store at Fuji-Q Highland opened last month, it has been selling an average of 120 bowls per day. All three menu items are sold at the same price of 1,200 yen, with the main customers being middle and high school students as well as women in their 20s. In fact, at the store, middle school students on a field trip and couples in their 20s were seen ordering Tantanmen through the kiosk.

The promotion of Shin Ramyun and Neoguri in collaboration with Fuji-Q Highland

Nongshim is working to establish Neoguri as its second flagship product in Japan following Shin Ramyun. With Neoguri’s udon-like thick noodles and the raccoon dog character resembling a fox, the company is targeting Japanese consumers. As the second spicy ramen after Shin Ramyun, Neoguri stands out with its plump, udon-style noodles, which Nongshim believes can win over the Japanese market.

To this end, a Neoguri booth was set up at the "2026 Korea Expo Tokyo" held at the Sunshine City Convention Center in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. The Nongshim Neoguri booth, measuring about 330 square meters, was bustling with visitors. The line to sample both the spicy and mild flavors of Neoguri barely shortened throughout the event as people waited their turn.

Tasting is taking place at the Nongshim Neoguri booth at the "2026 Korea Expo Tokyo" held at the Sunshine City Convention Center in Ikebukuro, Tokyo.

The Neoguri character, placed at the center of the booth, was also a big hit. Many Japanese visitors were seen taking photos with the character and exclaiming "kawaii" (cute) as they touched and admired it. Mayo, a housewife in her 50s who visited the expo, said, "I've tried Shin Ramyun and Sarigomtangmyeon before, but this is my first time tasting Neoguri. The noodles are chewy and delicious, and while it’s spicy, it’s more of a tingling spiciness that’s easy to eat."

Jung Youngil, Head of Growth Strategy at Nongshim Japan, said, "This is the first time we are holding such a large-scale offline event for Neoguri through an expo. We plan to showcase Neoguri at upcoming global K-content expos as well, and consider this the starting point to intensify our marketing activities."

Even Japanese consumers who are not accustomed to spicy ramen were seen enduring the heat to enjoy Shin Ramyun and Neoguri. Kyo, a housewife in her 40s, commented, "I’m familiar with Korean ramen and have tried Shin Ramyun. It’s spicy, but I make an effort to eat it. For spiciness, I give a higher score to Shin Ramyun, but for noodles, Neoguri is better."

Shin Ramyun Tomba is also experiencing rapid growth in Japan. After the original Shin Ramyun bag noodles, Tomba became the second Korean ramen to secure a year-round sales contract with major Japanese convenience stores. In 2015, Shin Ramyun became the first Korean ramen to be stocked in all branches of Japan’s top three convenience store chains 29 years after its debut. Shin Ramyun Tomba achieved the same feat within just one year of its launch. Shin Ramyun Tomba differentiated itself in the Japanese cup noodle market by introducing the rarely seen "microwave preparation method," and its unique, spicy yet mild flavor has captivated Japanese consumers.

Currently, cumulative sales of Shin Ramyun Tomba in Japan have reached 10 million units. Kim Daeha, the head of Nongshim Japan, stated, "In Japan, cup noodle containers are not microwave-safe. Distributors were impressed after tasting Shin Ramyun Tomba. Last year, Shin Ramyun Tomba became the first Korean ramen to rank 18th in the '2025 Hit Product Best 30' selected by a leading Japanese media outlet. This year, we are targeting sales of 2 billion yen, which is double the amount from last year. Sales are so high that Shin Ramyun Tomba often sells out at ramen shops."

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