Korean ramyeon exports hit record high

A customer shops at a ramyeon section at a local discount store in Seoul, Sunday. (Yonhap)

South Korea’s exports of Korean instant noodles, also known as ramyeon, reached a new record high of nearly $1 billion (1.31 trillion won) in 2023, according to government data and industry sources, Sunday.

According to data from Korea Customs Service, annual ramyeon exports were tallied at $952 million last year, a 24.4 percent jump from $765 million in 2022.

The outbound shipments of ramyeon logged $785 million for the January-October period in 2023, breaking the previous year’s record in just 10 months.

Ramyeon exports have grown every year since 2015, when they totaled $219 million.

Exports grew steadily to $467 million in 2019, before soaring during the pandemic to hit $640 million in 2020.

The ramyeon boom follows the increasing popularity of Korean content including K-pop, dramas, and movies, the industry sources say.

While the sales of inexpensive, convenient instant food generally increased during the pandemic, the rise of social networking services also sparked ramyeon-eating challenges, creating a viral sensation all over the world.

A recent survey jointly conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korean Food Promotion Institute also reflected the global perception of ramyeon.

Among some 9,000 people living in 18 major cities across the world, 11.1 percent of the respondents said their favorite Korean food was ramyeon, ranking second. The most beloved K-food was Korean-style fried chicken, accounting for 16.5 percent.

By Mun So-jeong(munsojeong@heraldcorp.com)