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Korea’s instant noodles break from ‘cheap food’ image
Nongshim's Shin Ramyun Gold instant noodles / Courtesy of Nongshim
By Ko Dong-hwan
Global popularity fuels premium pricing strategies among major producers
Instant noodles under Korea’s major brands are growing more expensive, shedding a long-held image as an affordable staple that represented cheap, mass-produced meals for decades.
The latest price increases are being driven largely by premium product lines.
Nongshim’s Shin Ramyun Black, a spinoff of its flagship Shin Ramyun, is currently sold at convenience stores for 1,900 won ($1.40) per packet. When it was first released in 2011, the price was 1,600 won. The company also launched Shin Ramyun Gold on Friday to mark the 40th anniversary of its founding. Priced at 1,500 won, the new product features a chicken-based broth.
Samyang 1963, a revamped version of Samyang Foods’ original Samyang Ramen that returned to domestic shelves last November, is also priced at 1,900 won. The company upgraded the country’s first mass-produced instant noodle by using beef tallow to create a soup flavor closer to traditional beef broth.
Paldo’s Sang Namja Ramen Garlic Spicy Flavor, a premium edition of its signature Namja Ramen, was released last month at 1,700 won per packet.
Premium instant noodles previously drew backlash from domestic consumers for being priced far above conventional products, which typically sell for 1,000 won or less while dominating the local market. For many Koreans, instant noodles were long viewed as food that did not — and should not — carry a premium label.
“Hochi,” the mascot of Samyang Foods’ Buldak noodles, stands beside a boat decorated with the brand’s logo during a media event in Copenhagen, Denmark, Aug. 8, 2024. Reuters-Yonhap
That perception, however, has begun to shift as Korean instant noodles gain global popularity and emerge as a symbol of K-food. Against this backdrop, major producers such as Nongshim, Ottogi and Samyang Foods no longer feel compelled to confine their marketing strategies to domestic price sensitivities.
This shift has encouraged companies to develop instant noodles aimed at a broader global consumer base, loosening the long-standing pressure to keep prices low in Korea. Samyang Foods, for example, sells a five-pack of Buldak noodles in the United States for between $6.88 and $7.84, or roughly 1,990 won to 2,250 won per packet, as of late 2025.
Industry observers say the growing lineup of premium instant noodles reflects the product’s gradual departure from its reputation as a cheap meal, driven largely by its rising international stature. Korea’s instant noodle exports reached $1.3 billion in 2024 and had already climbed to $1.4 billion by November last year.
Riding on the global popularity of K-pop, instant noodles have increasingly become part of Korean food culture promoted by celebrities worldwide. BTS member Jin serves as a model for Ottogi’s Jin Ramen, while girl group aespa fronts Nongshim’s Shin Ramyun.
According to Persistence Market Research, the global instant noodle market is expected to expand from $55 billion in 2025 to $100 billion by 2030. This growth, combined with Korea’s shrinking domestic consumer base due to a low birthrate and rising interest in healthier diets, is pushing companies to focus more aggressively on premium product strategies.