"Korean Ramen Sold Only in Japan? Sold Out Instantly, Marked Up Tenfold"

1,000 Sets Sold Out on Nongshim Mall in Just 10 Minutes
Resellers Drive Prices to New Highs

Nongshim's "Samgyetang Bowl Noodles," which previously garnered interest from Korean consumers for being available only in Japan, sold out within just 10 minutes of its limited domestic release, leading to a shortage and even the emergence of so-called "resellers" selling the product at a markup. Some online marketplaces are listing the noodles for more than ten times the original retail price.

Samgyetang Bowl Noodles. Nongshim

According to the food industry on August 14, Nongshim recently sold Samgyetang Bowl Noodles as a limited release through Coupang and its own online store, Nongshim Mall.

On August 12, Nongshim Mall sold 1,000 "Samgyetang Healthy Chicken Sets" including Samgyetang Bowl Noodles for 24,200 won each. The entire stock was sold out in about 10 minutes after the sales began.

Previously, on August 6, Coupang also held a pre-order for a pack of six Samgyetang Bowl Noodles at 6,980 won. This translates to about 1,160 won per cup. This, too, sold out on the same day sales opened.

This product was not initially developed for Korean consumers. Nongshim Japan launched Samgyetang Bowl Noodles along with two other varieties—Budae-jjigae Bowl Noodles and Gomtang Bowl Noodles—at Seven-Eleven stores across Japan starting June 2. The recommended retail price in Japan is 203 yen (tax included), approximately 1,800 won.

Samgyetang Bowl Noodles listed on the secondhand trading platform Danggeun.

Samgyetang Bowl Noodles are designed to replicate the unique broth of samgyetang by using chicken umami as a base, along with ginseng flavor and yeast extract. The product weighs 85g, with 70g of noodles, and Nongshim's own spiciness rating for this product is "0." This differentiates it from most Korean instant noodles, which are known for their spicy flavors.

Although the product was first released in Japan, its popularity grew in Korea as travelers shared reviews and tasting videos on social networking services (SNS).

Samgyetang Bowl Noodles sold on domestic online open markets.

In particular, the scarcity of being available only in Japan has led to cases where the noodles are traded at prices above the official Japanese retail price.

Some domestic online open markets are offering the noodles, sourced directly from Japan, at around 13,000 won per cup, using overseas direct purchasing channels. This is more than ten times the domestic retail price on Coupang, which was about 1,160 won per cup during the limited release. On secondhand trading platforms, listings have appeared selling bundles of five for 25,000 won.

The taste has also received positive reviews. Consumers who purchased the product commented, "The combination of chicken broth and ginseng aroma is excellent," "I hope it's officially released in Korea," and "I'd like to buy it again."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.