K-Ramen, enjoyed around the world, breaks record for highest export performance ever!

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (Minister Song Mei-ling, hereinafter referred to as the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs) announced that as of the end of October 2024, ramen exports reached $1.02 billion, a 30% increase from the previous year, breaking the all-time high. This is the 2023 annual export amount of $952 million achieved in just 10 months.

Ramen export amount and export volume (rate of increase): (Oct. 23) 7.9 billion USD, 200,000 tons → (Oct. 24) 1.02 billion USD (↑30.0%), 250,000 tons (↑25.5%)
Ramen exports have grown for 9 consecutive years since 2014 (210 million USD). This year, monthly exports exceeded 100 million USD for the first time in April, and exports exceeded 100 million USD every month until October. 210 million USD was exported to China, the world’s largest ramen consumer, and 180 million USD was exported to the United States.

Export amount by year: (14) USD 210 million → (17) USD 380 million → (20) USD 600 million → (23) USD 950 million
Export amount by export market (Oct. 2024): China USD 210 million (↑18.6% YoY), US USD 180 million (↑65% YoY), Netherlands USD 80 million (↑57.7% YoY) The
expansion of K-ramen exports is due to the spread of K-content such as Korean dramas and movies and the growing interest in Korean food. Amid the popularity of the Korean Ramen Eating Challenge on social media (SNS) in the US and Europe, this is the result of companies developing customized products for local markets and the government supporting buyer discovery and participation in trade shows, which has led to an increase in stores in large overseas distribution stores.

Major export companies are holding discount events in large marts, e-commerce stores, and convenience stores throughout November to share their export performance with domestic consumers and help stabilize prices. Nongshim is offering discounts on about 30 products, including Shin Ramyun, Jjapaghetti, and Neoguri, while Samyang Foods is offering discounts on 10 products, including Buldak Bokkeummyeon, Samyang Ramen, and Nagasaki Champon.

Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Song Mei-ling visited the first CU Ramen Library (Hongdae Store) with ramen exporters on November 1. The Ramen Library is a place where you can display and eat 230 kinds of ramen, and it has a high percentage of foreign customers. As the popularity of ‘eating Hangang ramen at a convenience store’, as seen in dramas and movies, spreads, convenience stores and marts that have installed instant ramen cookers are increasing overseas as well.

On this day, Minister Song Mei-ling inspected the status of ramen exports and encouraged the companies’ efforts. The ramen exporting companies stated, “The companies’ efforts to develop and promote customized local products, along with the government’s support for lifting import country regulations and finding buyers, have enabled K-ramen to become a global food.”

Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Song Mei-ling said, “K-ramen has gone beyond a passing fad and has become deeply rooted in the daily lives of people around the world,” and emphasized, “We will continue to closely support K-food recipes and K-content promotion, product development, localization, customs clearance, etc. so that various ramen can be exported along with culture. We will also make every effort to promote in conjunction with local distributors and promote to consumers for the remainder of this year.”

Editor. Hong Se-yeong