Why South Korean noodle companies are betting on an overseas appetite for growth

Fancy some cheese-flavored spicy noodles? Judging by export sales, the rest of the world can’t get enough of South Korea’s food exports, also known as “K-Food.”

Exports of “K-Food+” — a category that includes food products and agricultural industries — surged to a record $13.62 billion in 2025, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

That’s a 5.1% increase from a year earlier and marked the tenth consecutive year of growth.

Instant noodles, or ramyeon, were the standout. Exports jumped nearly 22% to $1.52 billion, making it the first single food category to surpass $1 billion in overseas sales.

Cheese-flavored spicy noodles and other new products resonated with consumers in China, the U.S., and emerging markets in Central Asia and the Middle East.

“Global demand for Korean noodles continues to expand, and companies have scaled up production and stabilized supply chains to meet it,” the ministry noted in a late‑2025 report.

Other categories also gained traction overseas, with Korean sauces benefiting from the demand for spicy and sweet flavors, while ice cream and fruit exports rose too.

What makes the humble pack of South Korean instant noodles so popular? Analysts say culture plays a big role.

The massive appeal of K-pop and Korean television dramas has helped fuel demand, with food frequently featured on screen. Characters are often shown eating ramyeon in dramas, variety shows and advertisements.

Just as K-pop companies are looking overseas for growth, Korean food makers, especially those selling ramyeon, are doing the same, said Oh Jiwoo, analyst at brokerage CGS International.

Nongshim CEO Cho Yong-chul told employees at the start of 2026 that the company’s business principle for the year was “Global Agility & Growth,” urging staff to expand its overseas footprint.

Otoki CEO Hwang Sung-man said at a shareholder meeting in March 2025 that the company, best known for its Jin Ramen, would prioritize “exploring global markets” and aim for an overseas sales revenue of 1.1 trillion won ($746 million) by 2030.

CGS’ Oh said companies are looking beyond South Korea’s shores because the domestic market is saturated. For example, Nongshim, best known for its Shin Ramyeon brand, holds over 60% market share in South Korea.

“Their main product was first invented in 1970s and 80s. And those products, [the] same products, is selling every year, [with] no marketing cost,” she said.

South Korea’s demographic decline also limits long-term domestic growth, Oh added, pushing companies to look abroad.

As a result, noodle makers have leaned into K-pop’s global reach, signing popular ambassadors and icons to increase their overseas appeal.

Nongshim named SM Entertainment girl group Aespa as global ambassadors in late 2025, following a collaboration with Netflix on a K-pop Demon Hunters-themed noodle line. Otoki has tapped BTS member Jin as its brand model for Jin Ramen.

Rising living costs overseas have also boosted demand.

According to a November report by Macquarie, inflation has expanded the U.S. noodle market as consumers seek affordable, convenient meals.

Oh also noted that eating out in the U.S. and Europe is very expensive. “Consumers want to save more, then they try ramyeon, it’s great and it’s cheap.”

U.S. inflation for “food away from home” breached a 13-year high of 5.3% in 2021 and peaked at 8.8% in March 2023, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Although inflation has tapered since then, the category most recently showed inflation of 4.1%.

Beyond a saturated market, South Korea’s instant noodle manufacturers face government-imposed limits on price increases, restricting their ability to offset rising costs, Macquarie said.

Overseas markets, on the other hand, allow companies to set higher average selling prices, Oh said. She added that in China and other Asian markets, average prices can be 30%-50% higher than in South Korea, while in the U.S., average prices can be roughly double.

Macquarie said that the dominant Japanese and Korean brands have benefited from shifting consumption patterns due to their focus on “product innovation and cultivating a premium brand image.”

Samyang Foods was identified as a key beneficiary, with Macquarie projecting it will be able to increase its U.S. market share to 23.9% by 2028, from the current 11.4%.

“We believe premium instant noodles with strong product innovation will be the key driver for US market,” Macquarie said.

Samyang Foods is known for its Buldak line of spicy instant noodles, which gained popularity in 2014 for the “fire noodle challenge,” in which participants tried to eat the noodles without drinking water.

The trend led to regulatory scrutiny in 2024 when Danish authorities briefly recalled some Buldak products over high capsaicin levels, which posed a serious health risk. The recall was later reversed.