[Weekender] K-food reaps benefits of subtler global marketing

Korean food makers diversify efforts to win foreign fans, from tie-ups and localization to harnessing social media

Buldak Carbonara Ramen (Samyang Roundsquare)

Samyang Roundsquare, the South Korean food giant renowned for its spicy Buldak ramyeon series, acknowledged that it wasn't until 2014 that the company recognized the importance of social media marketing after a viral video by Joshua Daryl Carrott, creator of the YouTube channel Korean Englishman, showcasing Buldak products.

“We cannot say that the very beginning of the Buldak series, which launched in 2012, was successful. However, as it gained more traction with the Buldak Challenge clips on YouTube and TikTok, we realized we could further develop our marketing schemes on social media,” a Samyang official stated.

The impact of social media was further highlighted when a TikTok video of a young Texas girl emotionally receiving Buldak Carbonara Ramen as a birthday gift garnered over 100 million views since April. In response, Samyang sent her more than 150 boxes of the product.

"When designing marketing efforts on social media, we prioritize showing consumers having a good time with our products, rather than simply highlighting their excellent taste, because savoring food should be seen as part of the culture,” the official added.

Meanwhile, Cindy X. Jones, a 50-year-old from Georgia, the US, says she finds Korean food products less unfamiliar than she did 10 years ago, thanks to their increased presence in the media and local supermarkets in the US.

“Personally, it feels like I now encounter Korean food products more frequently in US retail markets,” said Jones, who is visiting Seoul with her friends. “Specifically, Ottogi’s Jin Ramen Veggie is my favorite. I’m not a vegetarian, but I prefer healthier foods. I love this brand because it offers a range of options,” she said, showing a picture of Ottogi’s vegan instant noodle on her smartphone.

Cindy X. Jones (right), a 50-year-old African American from Georgia, the US, shows a picture of Ottogi’s vegan instant noodle on her smartphone while posing with her friends Shannon Ridley (center) and Le Tisha C. Campbell at a coffee shop in Seoul on Sunday. (Hwang Joo-young/The Korea Herald)

Her friend Le Tisha C. Campbell said she began eating ramyeon more often after watching the Oscar-winning movie Parasite, which featured a Korean ramyeon dish called "Chapaguri," also known as “ram-don.”

With an annual ramyeon consumption of 5.1 billion packets in 2023, according to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp., the US has been quite an attractive market for Korean ramyeon companies.

Nongshim, the nation's top ramyeon manufacturer, has been increasing its marketing efforts in the US due to high demand.

“Recently, demand for ramyeon in the US has far exceeded supply. This has helped us introduce more products at major retail outlets such as Walmart, Costco, and Kroger,” a Nongshim official said. “When we first entered the US market, Korean residents were our main customers, but now, a broader range of local consumers are our customers.”

Nongshim entered the US market in 1994 when its Japanese rivals dominated the instant noodle market there. The Korean firm continued expanding its presence to become the second-largest player in 2017.

With Japan's Toyo Suisan remaining the top seller with almost 50 percent of the market, Nongshim now claims a market share of about 20 percent.

Nongshim's ramyeon products stocked on shelves at a supermarket in the US. (Nongshim)

Korean food companies' overseas marketing strategies have become more sophisticated, moving beyond simply promoting a few successful products.

For instance, Orion initially focused on local production and sales of its flagship Choco Pie in China but now offers various flavors to promote the snack as a premium dessert. In 2023, SPC Group, the operator of the Paris Baguette bakery chain, partnered with the Paris Saint-Germain Football Club “to reach a broader global audience.”

Meanwhile, experts attribute this trend not only to the increasing popularity of Korean culture worldwide but also to the enhanced competitiveness of Korean food companies.

“The ongoing popularity of Korean food, such as dumplings, tteokbokki, and ramyeon, can also be attributed to the improved quality of Korean food companies’ products,” said Kim Dae-jong, a business professor at Sejong University. “Unlike in the past, when the focus was on promoting awareness of Korean food products globally, now Korean companies can be said to be competitive enough to thrive on the global stage.”

An official from CJ CheilJedang also echoed this sentiment, noting the company's successful adaptation to overseas markets after decades of seeking sales abroad due to a saturated domestic market.

“Our attempts to penetrate overseas markets have been ongoing for decades, and we believe our performance has proven successful based on our results. We now expect even more growth in the future,” the official said.

Centered on its Korean food brand Bibigo, CJ CheilJedang achieved 17.9 trillion won in overseas sales in 2023, marking the first time its overseas sales exceeded domestic sales. The export figure has consistently risen from 14.1 trillion won in 2020 to 15.7 trillion won in 2021 and 18.8 trillion won in 2022.

By Hwang Joo-young(flylikekite@heraldcorp.com)