"Enjoy Buldak Naengmyeon, Dessert with Excham Sand"... What's Your Favorite 'Naesipi'?

'Consumer Recipes' Launched as Official Products
Brand Loyalty Rises... Effectiveness of Viral Marketing

The "modisumer trend," in which consumers reinterpret existing products in creative new ways according to their own taste, is making a significant impact in the food industry. As people mix two different products to create new flavors or reinvent dishes using familiar products as ingredients—often going viral—food companies are increasingly leveraging these unique recipes for marketing or even turning them into new products.

According to the food industry on September 5, this summer "Buldak Naengmyeon," made by combining Samyang Foods’ Buldak Bokkeum Myun with Dongchimi naengmyeon broth, became a sensation on social media. The recipe quickly gained popularity thanks to its simple cooking steps and the way the naengmyeon broth mellowed the spiciness of the Buldak sauce, resulting in a refreshing taste.

Screenshot of the recipes for Buldak Naengmyeon and Butter Coconut Cake posted on YouTube.

"Create Your Own Combination"... The 'Naesipi' Recipe Craze

A recipe featuring Lotte Wellfood's "Butter Coconut" and Greek yogurt also gained attention on social media. The recipe, which involves adding Greek yogurt to Butter Coconut and chilling it overnight, is said to resemble the taste and texture of cheesecake, making it a favorite. The so-called "Ttungparatte"—mixing Binggrae's Banana Flavored Milk with hazelnut latte or espresso—has become a trending "must-try recipe in Korea" especially among foreign tourists.

The "10-Minute Recipe" for Nongshim's long-standing "Anchovy Kalguksu," which involves simmering it much longer than usual to replicate the flavors of marketplace kalguksu, was hugely popular last winter. Another recipe that spread rapidly involved using more water than the recommended amount, adding noodles and soup base, simmering for 10 minutes, then finishing with a beaten egg, chili powder, seaweed flakes, and plenty of sesame oil, delivering a deep flavor reminiscent of Andong Guksu or market-style kalguksu. Additionally, word-of-mouth spread about topping vanilla ice cream with Nongshim potato chips, attracting much interest.

'Honey Combination' Recipes Introduced... Kits for Making New Menu Items Also on Sale

Food companies are now proactively introducing new recipes using their own products. Since May, Ottogi signed an ambassador contract with chef Park Eunyoung and has been rolling out monthly recipes using Jin Jjambbong and Jjaschulin. A recent popular recipe features "Jin Jjam Schulin," made by cooking Jin Jjambbong and Jjaschulin together and dipping them in a special sauce made with egg, minced garlic, scallions, and sesame oil.

Ottogi also regularly holds a "Ottogi Food Recipe Contest" that encourages unique recipes using its products. Recipes selected as excellent entries are actually reflected in new product development.

Crown Confectionery proposed the "Excham Sand," created by combining its "Excellent" ice cream with "Cham Cracker." Namyang Dairy Products introduced a "winning combo" using its "Matcha Emong" and "Red Bean Emong." If you simply freeze and unmold these two products, you get matcha-flavored ice cream and patbingsu. Another popular recipe involved transforming Matcha Emong into a café-style beverage by adding the company's "Lukas Nine Espresso Shot." Namyang Dairy Products also released a summer promotional set so that consumers could make ice cream with Red Bean Emong using an "iron plate ice cream maker."

Recipes Winning Over Consumers' Taste Buds... Official Product Launches

As recipes created by consumers gained popularity, Nongshim launched Shin Ramyun Tomba and Dong-A Pharmaceutical introduced Eolbaksa as official products.

Some of these innovative modisumer recipes are increasingly being commercialized as new products. For example, when "Jjapaguri," a combination of Nongshim's Chapagetti and Neoguri, became popular, the company launched Jjapaguri as a cup noodle. The PC café menu of Neoguri Ramen with curry was also brought to market as "Kaguri Large Bowl Noodles." Nongshim noticed the buzz about adding milk, cheese, shrimp, and bacon to Shin Ramyun and responded by launching "Shin Ramyun Tomba."

The so-called "Eolbaksa"—mixing Dong-A Pharmaceutical's Bacchus with cider soda in an ice cup, a recipe that first became famous in Korean saunas—was officially launched as a product last year. Pulmuone Danone, inspired by consumers who liked to add honey to Greek yogurt, introduced "Pulmuone Yogurt Greek Honey." "Mitzz Black Yogurt," a collaboration between Orion and GS25, was also created after a social media recipe combining "Mitzz Black" biscuits and yogurt went viral and GS25 proposed a partnership, launching it as a private label product.

An industry representative commented, "Recently, viral marketing using recipes that let consumers enjoy familiar products in novel ways has proven very effective for promotion. Of course, the taste must be good above all, but products that give consumers the freedom to create new recipes are the trend in product development."

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