Pasta and gochujang butter: Korean instant noodle makers chase global tastes
Gochujang Butter noodles from ARIH, a global brand launched by Paldo and hy in collaboration with BTS in April / Courtesy of Paldo and hy
For years, heat reigned supreme in the Korean instant noodle market. But in recent years, pasta-inspired varieties have begun to challenge that dominance. Korean food companies are targeting overseas consumers by combining the familiar appeal of pasta with instant noodles, already Korea’s top food export, and distinctive Korean flavors such as gochujang (red pepper paste) and bulgogi.
Korean noodle makers have launched a string of pasta-inspired products designed for overseas markets in recent years, according to industry officials on Wednesday. Notable examples include Nongshim’s Shin Ramyun Toomba, introduced in 2024 as a spicy cream pasta take on its flagship noodles. Samyang Foods is positioning its protein pasta brand Tangle as its next major hit after Buldak, while Paldo and hy launched ARIH’s Modern Noodle range in collaboration with BTS this year.
BTS members RM, left, and V showcase seven varieties of ARIH Modern Noodles, a pasta-inspired instant noodle range they helped develop, including its flavors and packaging. Paldo and hy launched the ARIH brand with BTS in the first half of this year, offering the noodles alongside energy drinks and biotic sodas. Captured from Instagram
These products combine pasta shapes and creamy sauces familiar to overseas consumers with Korean heat and traditional ingredients such as gochujang and soy sauce. ARIH’s Modern Noodle range, for example, blends pasta and stir-fried instant noodles in seven varieties, including Gochujang Butter, Soy Sauce Butter, Truffle Bulgogi, Seaweed Stir-Fried Noodles and Black Pepper Rabokki.
The range gives Korean flavors a contemporary twist with ingredients such as butter and truffles, paired with fettuccine-style noodles about 5 millimeters thicker than typical instant noodles.
“We designed the noodles so the thick sauce would coat them thoroughly, and made them shorter than conventional noodles for overseas consumers who are more accustomed to using forks,” a Paldo official said.
ARIH Modern Noodles are currently available at Walmart stores across the United States, as well as in Korea, Japan and Canada. The company plans to expand into more overseas markets.
A promotional image for Samyang Foods’ protein pasta brand Tangle, which the company is developing as its next growth driver after Buldak. The company is aiming to build Tangle into a major global brand by tapping into pasta’s broad appeal across Eastern and Western markets. Courtesy of Samyang
Samyang Foods, meanwhile, hopes to build on Buldak’s success with Tangle. Following a rebranding in April last year, the brand now offers five varieties, ranging from familiar pasta flavors such as Mushroom Cream and Basil Tomato to Korean-inspired options such as Bulgogi Alfredo. The company said Tangle is exported to around 50 countries, with U.S. sales rising nearly sixfold in the first half of this year compared with the same period a year earlier.
Nongshim’s Shin Ramyun Toomba was inspired by home cooks who added milk, cheese, shrimp and bacon to Shin Ramyun to recreate Toowoomba pasta. Cumulative global sales surpassed 100 million units by the end of last year, making it one of Nongshim’s leading export products.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.