Ramyeon exports up as Korea's popularity rises globally

Industry

Published: 08 Aug. 2022, 17:07 Updated: 08 Aug. 2022, 19:36

Ramyeon exports up as Korea's popularity rises globally

Nongshim's Shin Ramyun and Tempura Udon cup noodles are sold at a discount mart in Interlaken, Switzerland on June 16.

Exports of ramyeon rose in the first half helped by the global popularity of Korean shows and films.

Ramyeon exports rose 19.9 percent on year in the first half, to $383.4 million, according to the Korea International Trade Associations (KITA) on August 7.

The figure has been steadily rising since 2015.

By country, China, the United States and Japan were the top three export destinations for ramyeon products from Korea. China imported $91.91 million of Korean ramyeon, the United States $46.86 million and Japan $30.32 million.

Exports to other countries surged during the same period.

Korean ramyeon exports to Canada rose 94.0 percent, China 34.9 percent, Thailand 29.7 percent and the United States 28.3 percent in the first half compared to the same period last year, according to KITA.

The increase in ramyeon exports has accelerated as Korean programs, such as dramas, films and reality shows, have gained global popularity.

A report from the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (Kotra)'s Sofia office in Bulgaria said, “the global success of Korean content has caused consumers, mainly the young consumers who are sensitive to the change in trends, to look into Korean instant food."

“As Korean content became popular, Korean ramyeon has also gained popularity, causing the import market share for ramyeon in Germany to constantly rise,” said a report from Kotra’s Frankfurt office.

More local retail chains overseas are importing ramyeon, unlike before when only a few were imported by Korean restaurants overseas.

Fantastico, one of the major supermarket chains in Bulgaria, is planning to introduce the Buldak Ramen from Samyang Foods this year.

In the first half of 2020, when the Covid-19 cases first appeared and surged, exports of ramyeon increased by 37.4 percent on year.

“Ramyeon is one of the items that has gained popularity during the pandemic,” said a spokesperson for Kotra’s Frankfurt office.

“It is affordable, has many options, is capable of long-term storage and easy to cook.”

Exports of ramyeon are still rising despite the pandemic shifting into an endemic phase.

“Many consumers in the United States think of ramyeon as a meal instead of a simple snack,” said a spokesperson for Nongshim.

“Jjapaguri, a mixture of two types of Nongshim instant noodles, was featured in the film “Parasite,” which has influenced the rising demand for Korean ramyeon in the United States.

“We are also making efforts to sell localized products.”

Currently, Nongshim operates its factories in China and the United States.

BY BAEK IL-HYUN [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]