The Secret to the Popularity of Samyang Buldak Bokkeum Myeon

Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeum Myeon, which has captured the taste buds of people around the world with its spicy flavor! 

Let’s take a look at the secret to the popularity of Buldak Bokkeum Myeon, which is Samyang’s representative product leading the domestic ramen market along with Nongshim and has established itself as an icon of K-food, and its export success story. 

We analyze the changes that ramen has brought to the national food culture and the power of spicy marketing.

1. Introduction to Samyang Foods

Samyang Foods, along with Nongshim, are the two leading domestic ramen companies. Nongshim, which briefly gained an advantage due to the beef tallow scandal 20 years ago, is still maintaining its number one position, but Samyang Ramen, which freed the nation from Chairman Jeon Joong-yoon’s national hunger, is considered to have made a significant contribution.

There is no doubt that ramen has brought about a transformation in the national food culture at a time when rice consumption has surpassed meat consumption.

In Arabia, when we call our country Daeshikguk (大食), meaning a country that eats a lot of rice, the picture of eating gobongbap has now become a vague truth of the past.

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2. The secret to popularity

The world's favor for spicy food

In Korea, there is not only kimchi and samgyeopsal, but also frozen gimbap, which recently became a sensation in the Americas thanks to the Korean Wave, and there are endless food items that can capture the taste buds of people around the world, such as seaweed, yakgwa, and hangwa.

The spiciness of Korean food is not limited to a specific item, but it can be seen in the soup and stew culture that we still eat salty and spicy food. Products that are popular overseas, such as Buldak Bokkeum Myeon, are more likely to be due to the effect of viral marketing at the right time rather than the havarone pepper or high Scoville index.

3. Export Success Factors

The spicy noodles must have contributed significantly to the favorable trend of food exports exceeding $100 million for the first time in 2024. I believe that the unique spicy taste, convenience, and various recipe usability of Buldak Bokkeum Myeon contributed significantly to the export of $100 million.

4 Production Plant

Samyang Ramen has the largest Gumi plant in Korea, and this Buldak Bokkeum Myeon is said to be produced at the Hoengseong plant. It produces clean and safe ramen through automated quality control of a verified production line, and contributes to the local economy of Hoengseong and Wonju.

5. Spicy Revolution

Ramen lovers can enjoy the pleasure of eating with the release of various ramen, but they should be prepared for heartburn due to consuming Janichin.

It is necessary to improve the diet so that Buldak Bokkeum Myeon can be enjoyed healthily by eating it with vegetables and reducing sodium intake.