Nongshim to launch new kimchi-flavored Shin Ramyun after Netflix tie-up

Nongshim's new kimchi-flavored Shin Ramyun / Yonhap

Nongshim, the country's leading instant noodle maker, said Sunday it will launch a new kimchi-flavored Shin Ramyun product in global markets next month, building on strong consumer response to earlier versions featuring characters from the Netflix animated film "KPop Demon Hunters."

The company plans to introduce a limited run of Shin Ramyun Kimchi Stir Fry in the domestic market on Nov. 24 through Emart discount stores before rolling it out initially in Australia and Taiwan.

"With Shin Ramyun Kimchi Stir Fry, we are targeting 60 to 70 markets and considering an instant cup noodle version for global expansion," Shim Gou-chul, executive vice president of Nongshim's global marketing division, said in a press conference at the company's main production facility in Gumi, some 200 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

The new product follows Shin Ramyun Toomba, which has sold about 60 million units worldwide since its debut in October. Nongshim hopes the kimchi-flavored variety will match that success, Shim said.

Nongshim's global brand recognition has risen sharply, helped by two limited-edition batches of instant cup noodles featuring members of the "KPop Demon Hunters" virtual girl group Huntrix — Rumi, Mira and Zoey — on the packaging.

The movie vividly portrays Korean foods, including cup noodles and snacks resembling Nongshim's products. The company markets its flagship lines — Shin Ramyun, Chapagetti and Neoguri — in markets around the world.

To meet growing overseas demand, Nongshim is expanding production at home. The company operates five "ramyeon," or instant noodles, plants in South Korea, including two in the southern port city of Busan, with a third Busan plant dedicated exclusively to exports now under construction. It also runs three factories in China and two in the United States.

With its expanded network, Nongshim aims to boost overseas sales, which currently make up 38 percent of its total sales.

In the first half of this year, the company reported sales of 1.76 trillion won ($1.2 billion). Third-quarter results are expected next week.

Holding roughly 60 percent of South Korea's 2 trillion-won instant noodle market, Nongshim recently adopted a new global slogan, "Spicy Happiness in Noodles," as part of efforts to bring Korean flavors to more international consumers.

"To help people around the world experience the spicy joy of Shin Ramyun with all five senses, Nongshim is building a global marketing strategy around three key pillars: See, Taste and Enjoy," Shim said.

The "See" initiative centers on global content collaborations. Nongshim said its partnership with the Netflix film generated strong buzz abroad.

"Starting with its U.S. launch in September, the collaboration products are expanding to more global markets this year. Through this partnership, Nongshim aims to strengthen the global image of K-ramyeon by linking it with Korean cultural content and deepening engagement with younger consumers," Shim said.

The company is also broadening its direct-to-consumer experiences. It has opened Shin Ramyun Bunsik restaurants in Machu Picchu, Peru; Harajuku, Japan; and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and plans to expand to China and Russia next year through its Shin Ramyun Experience Store project.

At home, Nongshim has partnered with the Gumi municipal government to host the 2025 Gumi Ramyun Festival, now in its fourth year, running from Friday through Sunday in Gumi.

This year's festival transformed the area around the Gumi train station into the 475-meter-long World's Longest Ramyun Restaurant, featuring interactive zones that include the Gumi Ramyun Lab, where visitors can create their own personalized noodles, and the Global Ramyun Chef contest, where international participants showcased creative recipes.

"In a U.S. consumer recognition survey, Shin Ramyun ranked the highest among instant noodle brands," said Gumi Mayor Kim Jang-ho. "Gumi, once a major manufacturing hub, needs new initiatives to revitalize its economy. This ramyun festival is part of those efforts."