InterviewSamyang America CEO bets on culture over spreadsheets in Buldak’s US expansion

The Splash Buldak Campaign attracts visitors to The Original Farmers Market in Los Angeles in this November 2024 photo. Courtesy of Samyang Foods

Samyang America, the U.S. subsidiary of Samyang Foods, is currently led by a former financial analyst known for his skill with numbers.

Samyang America CEO Shin Yong-sik / Courtesy of Samyang Foods

CEO Shin Young-sik, however, has moved beyond a spreadsheet-driven mindset, discovering new meaning in leadership as his role no longer revolves around crunching figures and exact calculations.

Over the past three years, he has secured Buldak’s shelf space with major U.S. retailers including Costco, Walmart, Target and Amazon. The company recorded $419 million in sales last year, up sharply from $50 million in 2023. Of the 1 billion Buldak packets sold worldwide in the second half of 2025, the majority are estimated to have been bought and consumed in the United States.

Steering the company in of the world’s most dynamic food markets, Shin said that the essence of a brand ultimately lies in people and emotions, not just spreadsheets. He closely watches and listens to young consumers in the U.S., searching for insights that resonate across the broader market.

The efforts paid off in 2024 when Samyang Foods topped a survey of the most popular brands among young consumers by American market analyst Numerator.

“What’s important is a profound respect for the culture of our young consumers. They reinterpret, share and evolve the brand in their own ways. Rather than attempting to control this energy, we embrace it, allowing the brand to grow organically within their cultural context,” Shin said in the interview with The Korea Times.

“Of course, what’s equally important is a precise balance between ‘authenticity’ and ‘localization.’ The core of Buldak lies in its irreplaceable flavor identity, the uniquely addictive heat and savory profile. The moment we dilute that identity, Buldak becomes just another ramyeon on the shelf.”

Visitors crowd the Buldak Splash Campaign at Flatiron Plaza in this October 2024 photo. Courtesy of Samyang Foods.

Having recognized the importance of psychology in food branding, Shin is now expanding Samyang America both physically and strategically. The company has grown from 18 employees in 2023 to about 100 by the end of last year, building teams across sales, marketing, supply chain management, finance and legal affairs.

“In 2026, we plan to further accelerate talent acquisition to ensure our organizational depth matches the scale of our operations,” Shin said.

“Revenue of $419 million and 30,000 retailers in the U.S. where Buldak is now sold are our foundation, not destination. The key to sustaining this growth is talent. This year, we will continue to expand our hiring to secure organizational competitiveness that matches our scale and ambition.”

As Buldak went viral online with the “Buldak challenge” and a wave of videos of people reacting to its extreme spiciness took off, Shin saw TikTok and YouTube not just as sales channels, but as community spaces where real consumer experiences with Buldak were unfolding.

He interpreted the rapidly growing volume of Buldak-related content as a kind of “language and communication tool” used by consumers to express themselves.

“When a video of a young girl who sobbed after receiving Buldak Carbonara as a birthday gift hit over 100 million views, we did not rely on a one-way press release. Instead, we focused on ‘brand activation,’ visiting the girl’s family in person to provide a genuine and heartfelt experience,” Shin said.

“This reflects our philosophy on building relationships between brands and consumers.”