Samyang moves to trademark ‘Buldak’ in Korea amid copycat surge

Korean ramyeon maker involved in trademark disputes in 27 countries

In this file photo, a Samyang Foods' Buldak advertisement is displayed in New York's Times Square in October 2024. (Samyang Foods)

Samyang Foods is looking to secure trademark rights for the English brand name “Buldak” in Korea, as the Korean ramyeon maker continues to fight a global surge in counterfeits of its signature spicy noodles.

According to Samyang Foods on Thursday, it plans to file an application with the Korean Intellectual Property Office register Buldak’s English name before the end of February.

Copycat products of Samyang Foods’ Buldak have been popping up since the early 2020s as the Korean spicy ramyeon brand became popular worldwide, leading to various copycat versions found in China, Southeast Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the United States.

Samyang Foods Vice Chair Kim Jung-soo previously said the company has registered trademarks in 88 countries, but is undergoing trademark disputes in 27 of them, during a national economic growth strategy meeting with President Lee Jae Myung in January.

“It’s an important task to protect K-brand overseas,” Kim said, calling for the government’s support in securing trademarks for Korean companies both locally and abroad.

The Korean name "Buldak," which translates to fire chicken, is currently unprotected as a trademark in Korea. In 2008, a court ruled that the name was a common noun, as it had been used in numerous food sectors since the early 2000s.

“We are actively pursuing registration of the Buldak trademark as the number of counterfeits and copycat products is increasing due to the global popularity of the Buldak brand,” said a Samyang Foods official.

“We will protect Buldak's values through active brand IP protection policies and strategic responses.”