Cases of Korean ramen launched for overseas markets appearing in the domestic market are on the rise. As the number of consumers purchasing limited edition products directly or through reverse imports increases, ramen companies are strengthening their strategy to launch these products domestically. Even if a product is popular overseas, it's uncertain whether it can achieve the same success in the domestic market. There are also burdens related to the need to expand production lines or change product specifications.
Nevertheless, ramen manufacturers are moving in the direction of actively launching overseas-only products domestically to respond to strong consumer requests. Just as the K-ramen gained popularity through social networking services (SNS) like YouTube and Instagram overseas, domestic consumers have developed a strong desire to try ramen that has become a hot topic on SNS or online communities.
According to the related industry on the 2nd, Samyang Foods formally launched 'Phat Phong Curry Spicy Chicken Noodle,' which had been introduced for export, in the domestic market on the 23rd of last month. This product combines the flavors of Phat Phong Curry, a national dish of Thailand, with the spiciness of the Samyang Spicy Chicken Noodle series. A notable point is that it was initially launched in China, not Thailand. A representative from Samyang Foods noted, "We had previously launched 'Phat Phong Curry Spicy Chicken Noodle' as a limited edition last October to reflect the trend of increasing coconut preferences among Chinese consumers."
As this ramen gained popularity in China and spread through word of mouth, several overseas direct purchase stores selling Phat Phong Curry Spicy Chicken Noodle appeared on Korean Naver shopping malls. The formally released product in the domestic market is in a cup noodle format (2,200 won each), while the product for the Chinese market is in a bag noodle format. The products sold by overseas direct purchase stores vary in price from around 18,000 won to 30,000 won per pack (5 pieces). It is interpreted that the continuation of domestic consumer purchases, despite the high prices, led to Samyang Foods' decision to officially launch the product last month.
A representative from Samyang Foods stated, "When launching a product, we consider the market characteristics of each country to determine sales channels and product forms," adding, "Recently, due to an increase in demand for cup noodles domestically, we prioritized the launch of cup noodles and plan to review the expansion of bag noodles based on consumer needs."
Similar cases have occurred in the past. The 'Yakisoba Spicy Chicken Noodle,' developed as a product exclusive to the Japanese market, sold out 200,000 units within two weeks after its launch in Japan in January 2023. As it was flying off the shelves at local Don Quijote stores and convenience stores, it also became a popular item among Koreans traveling to Japan. It was sold in a reverse import format on domestic shopping malls, and six months later, Samyang Foods decided to officially launch it in the domestic market. It is still being sold in a cup noodle format in the country.
OTOKI also joined the trend of launching export products domestically. Recently, OTOKI launched the 'Soft Cheese Stir-Fried Noodles Spicy Flavor' in a cup noodle format in the domestic market. The Soft series was initially launched as a soup noodle (Soft Cheese Noodle) in the country in 2010 but was discontinued. However, it garnered a good response in overseas markets, including the U.S., and has been sold as an export-only product for over a decade.
Driven by the popularity of soup noodles, the sequel, Soft Cheese Stir-Fried Noodles, was launched overseas first, in April 2022 in the U.S. and in October 2023 in China. After gaining popularity overseas, OTOKI limited the sale of Soft Cheese Noodle for approximately six months through SSG.com in the domestic market last year. In addition to noodles, OTOKI also launched 'Smoky Honey Mustard,' previously sold in China and Japan, in the domestic market in 2022.
This phenomenon is interpreted as reflecting changes in consumer spending tendencies. It signifies a strong desire to quickly experience new tastes and concepts and not to fall behind in these experiences. An industry official stated, "Recently, as the boundaries between countries have become blurred, it's characteristic that exported products and domestic products are being launched with flavors that are difficult to distinguish from each other."
Another industry official noted, "The Korean ramen market is already saturated, so it is leading to a strategy that broadens consumer choices through new lineups," and predicted that the cases of launching export products in the domestic market are likely to continue steadily.